Duterte meets with parents of slain 17-year old student

August 28, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte met on Monday in his official residence in Malacanang the parents of a 17-year old student who was slain in the police anti-drug operation in Caloocan City.

In a photo shared by Special Assistant to the President Christopher "Bong" Go to the media, it showed Duterte talking with Kian Loyd delos Santos' parents, Saldy and Lorenzana delos Santos, at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacanang.

The Presidential Communications Operations Office said the meeting was made upon the request of the Delos Santos' couple.

Public Attorney's Office chief Persida Acosta, who accompanied the parents, told reporters that Duterte assured the Delos Santos that "justice will prevail."

Acosta's office has been helping in the Delos Santos' case as it filed on Friday murder and torture charges against four policemen and several John Does over the killing of the teenager on August 16.

Delos Santos' mother urged those who have been using her son's death for politics to stop it.

"What we only want is to give justice on the death of our son," she said.

Present in the meeting were Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and Dante Jimenez of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption.

According to Aguirre, the Delos Santos couple sought assistance to the president for their security and livelihood as the mother, who was an overseas Filipino worker is not planning to return abroad.

He said that Duterte promised to look into their request.

Aguirre said the president explained why he did not attend Kian's wake as investigation has been ongoing against the policemen who were allegedly involved in the rub out.

Kian's death drew outrage among the people on Duterte's war on drugs. Duterte has promised not to interfere in the investigation. Celerina Monte/DMS