Palace welcomes protests vs Kian slay, drug war

HEAVENS CRYING OUT FOR JUSTICE? A message of support hangs outside the Fatima Chapel in Barangay 160 in Caloocan City. —LYN RILLON

Malacañang on Monday said it would not hinder the various protests denouncing the death of teenager Kian Delos Santos.

“The rally for Kian is part of the people’s right to assemble, express their views and air their grievances,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

A rally will be held on Monday at the People Power Monument at 6 p.m. to call for an end to the bloody war on drugs of the Duterte administration.

Various groups will also march from Sta. Quiteria Church in Caloocan at 4:30 p.m. to the site where Kian was killed by police officers.

Abella echoed Duterte’s oft-repeated line that the President would “allow mass protest as long as it does not cause public inconvenience or compromise public safety.”

“This is consistent with PRRD’s philosophy that criticism – good or bad – is part of the territory of anyone working in the government,” he said.

“Having said this, we enjoin protesters to fully cooperate with police authorities who are expected to exercise maximum tolerance during the event,” he added. JE