Acosta: No state-sponsored killings since gov’t indicted cops in teens slay

Carl Arnaiz and Reynaldo de Guzman

The indictment of two Caloocan policemen in the death of teenagers Carl Arnaiz and Reynaldo “Kulot” de Guzman proved that the government does not sanction killings, the chief of the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) claimed on Saturday.

Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta stressed that her office, as well as National Prosecution Service (NPS) of the the Department of Justice (DOJ), do not condone any summary killing committed by state agents.

“The PAO and the NPS belong to the state, and we will not tolerate any illegal killings even by state agents,” Acosta said in a text message to reporters on Saturday.

“This case proves that there is no state-sponsored illegal killings,” the PAO chief said. “Justice prevailed.”

In a 35-page resolution, DOJ prosecutors approved the filing of murder cases against Police Officers 1 Jeffrey Perez and Ricky Arquilita. Each policeman would face two counts of murder for the killing of Arnaiz and De Guzman.

Perez and Arquilita were also charged three counts each for planting of evidence over the two sachets of marijuana and three sachets of shabu recovered from Arnaiz’s pocket as well as the .38 caliber with ammunitions found near the victim’s body.

Likewise, each policeman was slapped with two counts of violation of the Anti-Torture Law as a forensic report showed that both teenagers suffered blunt injuries to the head and body that caused swellings, contusions, and abrasions.

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The cases were filed before the Caloocan City Regional Trial Court, according to DOJ Acting Prosecutor General Jorge Catalan.

“For our next step, we will coordinate with the DOJ panel of prosecutors for the trial as they have control of the prosecution,” Acosta said.

“(The families of the victims) are very thankful to all who supported Carl and Kulot’s search for truth,” the PAO chief added.   /kga