PAO chief says justice system worked on Kian's case

While some believe that extrajudicial killings are real under the Duterte administration following the murder conviction of three policemen involved in the killing of Kian delos Santos, Public Attorney's Office (PAO) chief Persida Rueda-Acosta underscored that the justice system had worked on the teenager's case.

"Alam mo ang extrajudicial killings, panahon pa ng Kastila 'yan eh. Talagang may mga pumapatay na law enforcers na hindi ayon sa batas. Walang reasonable force, ang tanong state-sponsored ba 'yan? O kino-condone ba 'yan o tino-tolerate? Dito sa kasong ito, kitang-kita natin may ngipin ang batas at hindi kukunsintihin ng gobyerno," Acosta said in an interview on Unang Balita on Friday.

"Kami ay taga-gobyerno din, NBI (National Bureau of Investigation), judge, piskal... lahat kami... mga senador, lahat kaming mga taga-gobyerno ay hindi kinukunsinti ang ganitong klaseng walang-awang pag-patay," she added.

Judge Rodolfo Azucena of the Caloocan Regional Trial Court Branch 125 found Police Officer 3 Arnel Oares and Police Officers 1 Jeremias Pereda and Jerwin Cruz guilty of murder charges in connection with the killing of Kian in an anti-drug operation last year.

They were sentenced to reclusion perpetua and were ordered to pay Kian’s family P100,000 in civil indemnity; P100,000 in moral damages; P45,000 in actual damages and P100,000 in exemplary damages.

The three policemen, however, were acquitted on the planting of evidence charge filed against them.

The police officers said they had killed Kian after the latter had resisted arrest during an anti-illegal drugs operation in Caloocan City in August last year. His death was was closely followed by the killings of two other teenagers —Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Reynaldo “Kulot” de Guzman.

The PAO chief said the cases of Carl and Reynaldo would be resolved early next year.

"'Yung kay Carl Arnaiz at 'yung kay Kulot De Guzman, malapit na rin 'yan. Early part of 2019, abangan ng sambayanan, makikita natin kung ano ang mangyayari," Acosta said.

"Sana po magkaroon ng hustisya ang mga ito at maging deterrent sa ibang mga nananabotaheng law enforcers," she added.

Lawmakers hailed the conviction of the three police officers, however, they also noted that there is a climate of killings in the Philippines.  —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News