MANILA – Kian did not die; he was killed.
This, in essence, was the finding that prompted the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to recommend the filing of a murder complaint against the police officers implicated in the August 16 killing of teener Kian Loyd delos Santos after a controversial anti-drug operation in Caloocan City.
In a related development, Department of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre changed his tune to acknowledge that the death of Kian was not a case of “collateral damage”, that he was killed intentionally.
The NBI indicated that, based on the collective acts of the police officers prior to, during and after the incident, it was “very evident that they have one single purpose, that is to kill the victim.”
Among the four policemen to be charged for the crime was the Caloocan City Police Community Precinct 7 Commander, Chief Inspector Amor Cerillo, and three of the men under him: PO3 Arnel Oares, PO1 Jeremias Pereda, and PO1 Jerwin Cruz.
Aside from the murder complaint, they are also to be charged for violation of domicile and planting of evidence.
For his part, Justice Secretary took the new position that Kian is not to be counted among those listed as collateral damage in the vicious war on drugs of the Duterte Administration.
Click and watch this video report below:
