Foundation condemns killing of criminology scholar in buy-bust op

Twenty-year-old Jefferson Bunuan wanted to become a policeman but the very same men in uniform he wanted to emulate were the ones who ended his life.

That was what the Kaibigan Ermita Outreach Foundation (KEOF) Inc. said on the death of Bunuan, who is one of the foundation’s beneficiaries.

Bunuan, along with Mark Anthony Bunuan and Jomar Manaois, was killed by the Manila Police District in one of its buy-bust operations in San Andres Bukid, Sta. Ana on Monday night.

MPD Sta. Ana station chief Supt. Robert Domingo said that a gunfight ensued after Manaois pulled a pistol on the undercover policemen.

READ: MPD churns out usual ‘shootout,’ ‘gun-grabbing’ tales, kills 7 more

But the KEOF refuses to believe that their scholar will be involved in illegal drugs.

“Jefferson is a sponsored child of the foundation for eleven years. As described by Kaibigan staff, Jefferson is polite, soft-spoken, and has shown determination to finish his studies despite experiencing life difficulties,” the foundation said in a statement posted on its Facebook page.

Bunuan is said to be the fourth in a brood of five and a first year college student taking up BS Criminology at the Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology. He also volunteered for Oplan Lambat Sibat, the previous administration’s anti-crime drive.

The foundation described Bunuan as “very shy” and diligent in his studies as he was able to finish his skills training course in shielded metal arc welding before he went to college.

The 20-year-old student wanted to become a policeman to seek justice for the death of his father.

“Jefferson’s childhood dream was to be a policeman because he wants to give justice to his father who was killed when he was young,” the KEOF’s statement read.

It was also claimed that contrary to the police report that the three young were armed, Bunuan’s sister Lovely said that Jefferson and Mark were sleeping when the buy-bust operation took place.

The KEOF urged authorities to probe the death of their scholar.

“Kaibigan Foundation raises its voice to the authorities to investigate this ‘unjust’ killing of innocent people. This is discrimination and a violation of the human rights. We are after justice and we don’t want these things to happen again as we advocate human (especially children’s) rights protection,” it said. JE