Kian’s parents file complaints vs 3 cops for alleged murder, torture

August 25, 2017

The family of Kian Loyd Delos Santos on Friday asked the Department of Justice to prosecute the Caloocan City policemen involved in the death of the teenager during anti-drug operations on August 16. The complainants, assisted by lawyers from the Public Attorney's Office, filed the complaints for murder and torture against Police Officer 3 Arnel Oares and Police Officers 1 Jeremias Pereda and Jerwin Cruz. The Delos Santos family also impleaded as co-respondents their supervisor, Caloocan City Police Community Precinct 7 commander Chief Inspector Amor Cerillo, and several unidentified individuals. The formal complaint filed by Delos Santos' parents Zaldy and Lorenza delos Santos was received by Assistant State Prosecutor Tofel Austria. Except for Cerillo, the three policemen have been placed under restrictive custody to ensure an impartial investigation by the Philippine National Police-Internal Affairs Service. Police said they shot delos Santos in self-defense after the Grade 12 student, whom they alleged to be a drug runner, claimed to resist arrest by firing at them during the anti-drug operation in Barangay 160. In their complaint, the Delos Santos family said a CCTV camera footage showed the teenager  was being dragged by a policeman after his apprehension. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Friday said evidence in the killing of delos Santos showed there was foul play. "Very clear, based on evidence, that there was foul play on the part of the policemen,” Aguirre said in an interview. We don't tolerate this. As a matter of fact, we condemn it," added Aguirre. Aguirre directed the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct a parallel investigation because policemen are involved. DMS