Witness claims Oares, Pereda involved in death of delos Santos

September 5, 2017

A witness of the Kian Delos Santos case pointed out PO3 Arnel Oares and PO1 Jeremias Pereda as the police officers involved in the death of Kian delos Santos in Caloocan  City on August 16.

Known as MC, the 31-year-old woman who wore a jacket, scarf, mask and dark glasses, said she was on her way to buy rice and cigarettes when she saw two police officers holding delos Santos and another officer following them.

She said there were three officers during the incident but she identified Oares and Pereda. She said she could not see the face of the other police officer.

"Kian was pushed beside the piggery then I heard Kian saying 'Sir, no please'. Then the other fired their gun and then the other did so. I don't know which part of Kian was shot because it was dark there but the gunshots came one after the other. I saw Kian's face but I don't know which part because Kian is on the side", she said.

MC said her house was about nine meters away from the place where delos Santos was shot to death.

She said the police did not run after delos Santos but she heard gunshots.

The three police officers involved in the case, Oares, Pereda and PO1 Jerwin Cruz did not answer the questions of the committee. The three invoked their rights against self incrimination, saying there are cases filed against them before the Department of Justice.

"Unfortunately, it seems like attending the Senate hearing but not answering the questions of the committee is becoming a trend", said Senator Risa Hontiveros.

The parents of Delos Santos, assisted by the Philippine Attorney's Office and the National Bureau of Investigation, filed murder charges against the three police officers and Chief Inspector Amor Cerillo, the relieved commander of the Police Community Precinct 7.

Northern Police District (NPD) Chief Supt. Roberto Fajardo, Cerillo and the three officers involved in the case were administratively relieved to give way to the investigation.

Senator Bam Aquino asked Oares, Pereda and Cruz: "What do you feel now that you killed someone and you killed a 17 year old?"

"In the question that we killed someone, we are not the ones who killed (de los Santos).  There was a gunfight. It's not also us (who killed him)", Pereda said.

Cerillo said, according to the ballistics report, the firearm of Oares tested positive for shooting Delos Santos.

"Regarding the ballistic report ,we can trust the result taken from the firearm that shot Kian", Cerillo said.

Cruz and Pereda refused to answer the question of Hontiveros whether they borrowed the gun of Oares prior to the operation. Alanna Ambi/DMS