Senator Risa Hontiveros. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA
Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday said she respects the right of Kian Delos Santos’s parents to place their trust in President Duterte after they met with him at Malacañang over the weekend.
“I respect the decision of the family of Kian Delos Santos to meet Pres Duterte. I also respect their right to continue to place their trust in him,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
READ: Duterte meets Kian’s parents in Malacañang
But Hontiveros said it was saddening that Duterte sympathized with the victims of the drug war after thousands, including minors, have already died.
“Nakakalungkot lamang, sa dinami-dami ng mga namatay na menor de edad sa madugong kampanya ng gobyerno laban sa droga, ngayon lang nakuhang makidalamhati ng Pangulo. Ganoon pa man, tuloy ang laban para sa katarungan,” she said.
(It’s sad that there were many minors who died in the government’s bloody campaign against drugs, but it’s only now that the President sympathizes. Nevertheless, the fight for justice continues.)
“Hindi tayo titigil hangga’t hindi natin nabibigyan ng hustisya ang pagkamatay ni Kian at lahat ng biktima ng extrajudicial killings at napapanagot ang lahat ng may sala,” Hontiveros said.
(We will not stop until we give justice to Kian’s death and to all the victims of extrajudicial killings and until those guilty are held accountable.)
Hontiveros took custody of three individuals who witnessed Caloocan cops kill the 17-year-old Delos Santos in a dark alley last Aug. 16.
The senator later turned over the witnesses to the Senate’s protection. JE
READ: Hontiveros takes custody of Kian slay witnesses