12 more policemen linked to Kian’s killing

PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION Appearing for the preliminary investigation of the killing of
17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos at the Department of Justice are PO1 Jerwin Cruz, PO3 Arnel Oares and PO1 Jeremias Pereda. One of the witnesses(below) takes her oath. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) on Thursday asked Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors to summon 12 other police officers involved in the drug raid that led to the killing of 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos in Caloocan City on Aug. 16.

PAO chief Persida Rueda-Acosta also asked the prosecutors to subpoena all the records of the Philippine National Police Internal Affairs Service (IAS) on the administrative aspect of the case.

The PAO presented six witnesses at the start of the preliminary investigation of Delos Santos’ death. The boy’s parents—the complainants—attended the hearing at the DOJ.

Chief Insp. Amor Cerillo, PO3 Arnel Oares and PO1 Jeremias Pereda and Jerwin Cruz of the Caloocan police—the accused—were present.

Assisted by the PAO, the families of 19-year-old Carl Arnaiz—killed by Caloocan police—and 14-year-old Reynaldo “Kulot” de Guzman—believed to have been killed by the same officers—jointly filed criminal charges over the killings  at the DOJ on Thursday.

State witness

Carlito and Eva Arnaiz and Eduardo and Lina de Guzman accused PO1 Ricky Aquilita and PO1 Jeffrey Perez of murder, torture and forging evidence involving firearms and illegal drugs.

The parents filed the same charges against Tomas Bagcal, the taxi driver who claimed he was robbed by Arnaiz, but that he captured him with the help of bystanders and took him to the police station on 9th Avenue early on Aug. 18.

The parents said they had a witness who had seen a handcuffed Arnaiz being dragged out of a patrol car along C-3 Road and pleading for his life, but the officers shot him dead.

The witness also said he saw a younger boy in the patrol car.

De Guzman’s body was fished out of a creek in Gapan City, Nueva Ecija province, on Sept. 5. He had been stabbed at least 26 times.

Acosta said Bagcal could be made a state witness if he divulged “the whole truth.”

“We believe he has knowledge of the twin killings,” Acosta told reporters.

She said the PAO would present 16 witnesses in the investigation of Delos Santos’ death.

She described the case against the policemen as “airtight.”

One of the witnesses presented claimed she saw  Delos Santos with the officers before he was shot dead.

The PAO also submitted footage from a barangay hall security camera as well as the results of the PAO autopsy that showed Delos Santos was shot three times—twice in the head and once in the back—while he was lying facedown.

The policemen were told to submit their counteraffidavits during the next hearing that was set for Sept. 25.