MANILA, Philippines — Friends of Kian Lloyd delos Santos joined “running priest” Fr. Robert Reyes in a run Friday morning, August 25, to the Caloocan police station where the officers who killed the high school student are assigned.
Reyes arrived at the Delos Santos residence, where the wake for the senior high school student is being held, around 7 a.m. He was then joined by friends of the slain youth, wearing white shirts with the message, “Justice for Kian,” in the run to Police Community Precinct 7.
There, Reyes blocked a departing patrol car, allowing it to proceed only after he had blessed it and shared with its passengers his wish for an end to the killings of drug suspects.
He then entered the precinct to pray for and bless the detainees.
From the police precinct, Reyes said mass for the teenager.
Delos Santos will be buried on Saturday, with thousands of human rights advocates and other activists expected to turn out for the funeral.
Also on Friday, groups allied with the Bagon Alyansang Makabayan will be holding protests across the country to demand justice for Delos Santos’ death and an end to drug killings.
The youth’s death has sparked widespread outrage and intensified calls against the extrajudicial killings that have marked the war on drugs waged by the Duterte administration, which various tallies estimate has claimed more than 12,000 lives since last year.
Police initially claimed Delos Santos was killed last week when he tried to shoot it out with officers implementing a “One Time, Big Time” anti-crime sweep. But closed circuit television footage and witnesses’ testimonies indicated that he was likely executed.
Delos Santos was one of the more than 80 persons who died in what has been described as arguably the bloodiest week in the government war on drugs.
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