The relieved police chief of Caloocan City admitted that the information that Kian Loyd Delos Santos was a drug pusher was somehow based on posts circulating on social media.
“We based some information na lamalabas sa social media. ‘Yun lang po basis namin sir after na nung incident, sir,” Senior Supt. Chito Bersaluna told before the Senate committee on public order during a hearing on Delos Santos’s death on Thursday.
The committee, which Senator Panfilo Lacson chairs, is conducting an inquiry on the irregularities committed by the police when it killed Delos Santos in an anti-drug operation in Caloocan City last Aug. 16.
Senator Manny Pacquiao was asking the police how they confirmed that the victim was involved in drugs, a claim vehemently denied by his family.
Bersaluna admitted that prior to the killing of Delos Santos, the operating troops were unsure about their target’s involvement in drugs.
Pacquiao chided the police for belatedly checking their suspect’s background after the operation.
Bersaluna said that Caloocan police arrested a certain Nono Lubiras a day after Delos Santos’s killing on Aug. 16. He said Lubiras confessed to the cops that he dealt with Delos Santos.
Asked by Pacquiao how the police verified Lubiras’ claim that Delos Santos sold him drugs, Bersaluna answered that they somehow based their confirmation from social media posts.
Supposed trolls using fake Facebook accounts have been claiming they are neighbors of the victim. These trolls claim that Delos Santos was a known drug addict in their area.
An irked Pacquiao then reprimanded Bersaluna: “Hindi pwede ‘yang katwiran na yan dito. Masyadong napakababa na dahilan, napakababaw na based lang sa social media.” JE