The two Caloocan cops involved in the killing of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos denied that it was Delos Santos they were dragging to a dark alley as seen in the closed circuit television footage.
It was their asset who was seen in the video, said PO1 Jerwin Cruz and PO1 Jeremias Pereda during the Senate hearing on Delos Santos’ death and the recent spate of drug killings on Thursday.
Few days before the hearing, Internal Affairs Service Inspector General Alfegar Triambulo said two of the three police officers involved in the killing admitted that it was the Grade 11 student who was in the video. Triambulo, however, did not identify the cops.
“Inamin ng dalawang pulis na sila nga daw ang nag-akbay kay Kian at si Kian ang nasa video at taliwas sa kanilang unang sinasabi na ‘yun ay informant,” Triambulo said in an interview at Camp Crame on Tuesday.
CCTV frame shows Kian delos Santos, his head covered with a shirt, being dragged off by two persons past a basketball court.
Senator Grace Poe asked Pereda and Cruz if they were the ones seen dragging Delos Santos in the video.
Cruz answered: “Kami po ‘yung dalawang nasa CCTV pero hindi po si Kian ‘yun. ‘Yun ‘yung aming asset. Alpha namin ‘yun.”
“Hindi po namin kilala si Kian,” Cruz added.
Asked why they were dragging their asset, Cruz explained: “Kasi ‘yung asset namin ayaw niyang masunog…Pinoprotektahan siya. Kailangan i-cover para hindi malaman na may kasama siyang pulis.”
Cruz and Pereda then said they were after a different target on the night Delos Santos was killed.
Senator Bam Aquino asked them if PO3 Arnel Oares was with them during the operation but the two refused to answer.
Caloocan City police Station 7 commander Chief Inspector Amor Cerillo earlier said in the hearing that ballistics examination showed that the slugs found in the crime scene matched the firearms of Oares.
“So sinong pumatay kay Kian? Ayaw niyong sabihin kung sinong bumaril?” Aquino asked.
Both Cruz and Pereda answered: “I invoke my right against self-incrimination.” JE