Prosecutor who was hit for prejudice vs Kian denies being on drug list

A Caloocan City prosecutor who recently came under fire for his supposed “prejudice” against Kian Loyd delos Santos denied knowledge on Thursday of his inclusion on President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug list.

During the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drug hearing on the killing of Delos Santos, state prosecutor Darwin Cañete said he “had no knowledge” of his supposed inclusion on Duterte’s original list of politicians and government officials involved in illegal drugs.

“I just want to ask one question to attorney Cañete, just one factual question, this is not confirmed but I’m asking you the question: were you on the drug list of President Duterte originally?” Senator Franklin Drilon asked.

“I have no knowledge of that, sir,” Cañete said. “Nobody told me and I was not provided a copy of that.”

Cañete, a vocal Duterte supporter, recently was criticized on social media after saying that the boy, who was killed in a drug sting last week, “could not be that innocent.”

“I am not saying they did not kill the kid. The (police) should be held accountable if ever it’s a proven EJK (extrajudicial killing). But making the kid super innocent? I am not buying it,” Cañete told the Inquirer in an interview.

It was not the first time Cañete drew public attention. In June, he promoted the killing of “yellow forces,” referring to parties or groups who are critical against Duterte.

Cañete’s June 13 post read: “Fact is, YELLOWS are EVIL. You don’t talk to them, YOU KILL THEM. After you kill one, you find another to DESTROY. Like COCKROACHES.”

READ: Kian could not be that innocent, says fiscal 

Quoting his unnamed source, Drilon alleged that Cañete was making remarks in support of Duterte’s violent crackdown against illegal drugs because of his own involvement in the illicit trade.

“You were scolded by your superiors, not with the Department of Justice, and you reasoned that the reason why you were saying all these things just to save your life? Is that true?” Drilon said.

Cañete denied that he was scolded by his superiors and said he cannot remember saying such reason.

“I cannot recall saying that,” he said. He asked Drilon if the senator can help him “confront the person” who accused him of such.

“I can see you’re trying to evade answering my questions. I will leave it at that, we just wanted some confirmation, it’s not really that relevant to this investigation,” Drilon said.