Villanueva on Kian: EJK issue should not end with one conviction

Senator Joel Villanueva. INQUIRER FILE / JOAN BONDOC

The issue on extrajudicial killings (EJKs) should not end with a single conviction, Senator Joel Villanueva said Thursday.

Villanueva was reacting to the Caloocan court’s guilty verdict against three policemen in the killing of 17-year-old Kian Delos Santos in August 2017.

He said the government should re-evaluate its campaign against illegal drugs by looking into alternative solutions to address it.

“The issue on extrajudicial killings should not end with a single conviction,” Villanueva said in a statement.

But Philippine National Police spokesperson Chief. Supt. Benigno Durana Jr. denied that any EJKs were taking place in police operations.

In fact, he said, the conviction of the three policemen prove that they were only guilty of murder and not extrajudicial killing.

“They were charged for murder. Walang extrajudicial killing. The fact that they were charged by the court, it’s not extrajudicial,” Durana said.

He said the term EJK had been misused since there was not even judicial killing or death penalty in the country.

READ: PNP: Verdict for cops in Kian slay won’t affect drive vs drug war

In the verdict handed down by Judge Roldolfo Azucena Jr., the killers of Delos Santos were convicted of murder.

Further reacting to the verdict, Villanueva said, “We reiterate our call to re-evaluate war on drugs by providing alternatives to address this problem.”

The senator added that the country could win its war on illegal drugs “without bloodshed and losing the lives of innocent individuals.”

He said the lower court meted out justice to the killers of Delos Santos, adding that he hoped they would face the full force of the law.

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

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

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