Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David on Thursday said the conviction of three police officers involved in the murder of Kian Delos Santos proved that justice system in the country is still working.

“Salamat sa Diyos! Isang mabuting tanda ito na umuubra pa ang sistema ng hustisya sa bayan natin,” David said in his Facebook post.

https://www.facebook.com/1144910906/posts/10212960296339198/

For David, the lower court’s decision will strengthen the spirits of witnesses to drug-related killings and uplift relatives of victims of extrajudicial killings (EJKs).

“Ang desisyon na ito ang magpapalakas ng loob sa mga kapamilya ng napakaraming iba pang mga kaso ng napatay dahil ‘diumano’y nanlaban’,” David further wrote.

“Pero importante rin na maglakas-loob ang mga testigo at mailabas ang mga ebidensya,” he added.

Caloocan City Regional Trial Court Branch 125 on Thursday found PO3 Arnel Oares, PO1 Jeremias Pereda and PO1 Jerwin Cruz guilty of killing 17-year-old Delos Santos in August 2017.

The lower court sentenced them to reclusion perpetua without eligibility of parole.

The officers, however, were acquitted of planting evidence on Delos Santos.

READ: 3 policemen guilty of killing Kian delos Santos — court

The bishop is one of the most vocal critics of President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war.

Recently, he has been a subject of Duterte’s tirades, suggesting that David was into illegal drugs and steals from church donations. /kga

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