Kian finally laid to rest at La Loma cemetery

Burial of Kian Loyd delos Santos in La Loma cemetery, Caloocan City. The Grade 12 student was killed during an anti-illegal drugs operation on the night of August 16, 2017 in Barangay 160, Caloocan City. INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON

The 17-year-old student, Kian Delos Santos, was finally laid to rest on Saturday more than a week after he was killed in the hands of Caloocan City policemen conducting an anti-illegal drug operation.

Hundreds of Delos Santos’ family members, friends, and supporters marched for almost three hours from the boy’s neighborhood in Sta. Quiteria, Caloocan City to the La Loma Catholic Cemetery in Manila, braving the sudden changing of weather, which shown some sun in the morning and a little drizzle in early afternoon.

Priests, family members, and friends carrying Delos Santos’ coffin inched through the labyrinth of tombs inside the La Loma cemetery as mourners chanted for justice for the boy’s death and end to drug-related killings.

The funeral march earlier stopped in front of the Caloocan City Police Community Precinct 7, the station where the policemen involved in the police operation were assigned.

Delos Santos’ father, Saldy, wished the family of the policemen who killed his son would not suffer the same fate because it was “too painful” to lose a child.

A cemetery caretaker shows the gravemarker for Kian delos Santos in 1965 apartment 1-A in La Loma cemetery. Inquirer/L. Rillon

READ: Kian dad to involved cops: I hope this will not happen to your families

“Sana ‘wag mangyari sa pamilya nila ang ginawa nila sa anak ko, para maramdaman nila kung gaano kasakit mawalan ng anak (I hope this would not happen to their families because they would know how hard it is to lose a child),” he said during the eulogy Mass.

Delos Santos was killed on August 16, for allegedly fighting against the police while conducting anti-drug operations in Libis Baisa, Barangay 160, Caloocan City.

However, two separate autopsies by the Public Attorney’s Office and the Philippine National Police (PNP) Northern Police District Crime Laboratory showed the boy was shot at close range while slumped with his face down.

Lawyers from the Public Attorney’s Office already filed murder and torture charges against four policemen involved in the operation, including Caloocan City Police Station 7 head Chief Insp. Amor Cerillo, Police Officer (PO) 3 Arnel Oares, PO1 Jeremiah Pereda, and PO1 Jerwin Cruz.

Delos Santos’ death has drawn criticism from both allies and critics of President Rodrigo Duterte. It has sparked public outrage against the government’s violent campaign against illegal drugs, which has claimed thousands of suspected drug criminals. JPV