Senator Risa Hotiveros. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES
Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday slammed “forces who are moving” to undermine the case of 17-year-old Kian Delos Santos, the latest minor killed in the government’s brutal drug war.
“Ako lamang ay nagugulat sa biglang pangyayari. Mukhang may mga pwersang gumagalaw para kunin ang mga testigo, i-undermine ang kaso at limitahan ang accountability sa panig lamang ng mga pulis,” Hontiveros said in a hastily called press conference at the Senate.
(I’m surprised at the sudden events. It seems there are forces that are moving to take the witnesses, undermine the case and limit the accountability on the side of the police.)
Hontiveros’ statement came few hours before the Senate committee on public order is scheduled to conduct a probe on Delos Santos’s death where three witnesses under her protection are expected to appear.
The minority senator revealed that some of the guardians and relatives of the witnesses — aged 13, 16 and 31 — are asking to be released from her custody.
Hontiveros also expressed alarm over the statements Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) head Persida Acosta made in connection with the minor’s killing.
“Ako ay nababahala sa pahayag ng PAO ng wala daw extrajudicial killings sa ilalim ni Pangulong Duterte. Nakakabahala ito lalo na at sila ang humahawak sa kaso ni Kian, na by all indications point to a clear case of extrajudicial killing,” she said.
(I am alarmed at PAO’s statement saying there are no extrajudicial killings under President Duterte. This is alarming especially since they are the ones holding Kian’s case, that by all indications point to a clear case of extrajudicial killing.)
“Nakakasulasok naman ang testamento ng DOJ na ‘blown out of proportion’ ang kaso ni Kian lalo na at gusto nila isalalim ang mga testigo sa kanilang witness protection program,” the senator said.
(DOJ’s statement saying Kian’s case is blown out of proportion is repulsive, especially since they want to put the witnesses in their witness protection program.)
How can Aguirre and Acosta protect the witnesses if they themselves do not believe in the case? asked Hontiveros.
“Kayo ba, ipagkakatiwala ninyo ang buhay n’yo o ng inyong mga anak kay Secretary Aguirre, na siyang nag-downgrade ng kaso ng mga pulis na pumaslang kay Albuera Mayor Espinosa? Na mas naniniwala sa testimonies ng mga bilanggong drug lords kaysa sa mga batang testigo?” she said.
(You, would you entrust your life our your children’s lives on Secretary Aguirre, the one who downgraded the case of the police who killed Albuera Mayor Espinosa? And who believe the testimonies of the the jailed drug lords instead of the young witnesses?)
Hontiveros then called on the people to be monitor closely the developments on the case so that those behind Delos Santos’s killing would be made accountable. JE