Senators are outraged over the police鈥檚 killing of a 17-year-old student in Caloocan City who allegedly had drugs in his possession.
In a series of tweets, Senator JV Ejercito, a member of the Senate majority bloc, described the killing of Kian Loyd Delos Santos as 鈥渧ery, very disturbing,鈥� as he stressed that footages gave a clear picture that the victim was murdered.
鈥淭he killing of 17 year-old Kian Lloyd Delos Santos in the latest on war against drugs is very very disturbing,鈥� Ejercito said over Twitter, unedited.
鈥淪eventeen year-old Kian Delos Santos is age of my eldest son. I feel for the father while watching the video. Sakit nito (This is painful)!鈥� he added.
Delos Santos, a Grade 11 student, died after he was shot during a police operation in Barangay (village) 160聽on Wednesdaynight. Police claimed he resisted authorities and allegedly fired at them. But witnesses and security footages obtained by the media depict a different scenario.
They said two policemen in plain clothes suddenly grabbed Delos Santos, blindfolded him, before they shot the minor. Witnesses said they saw the unarmed Delos Santos crying and pleading to the police not to shoot him.
READ: Cops kill 鈥榩istol-packing鈥� Grade 11 kid
Later the police said they found two sachets of 鈥渟habu鈥� (methamphetamine hydrochloride) and a caliber .45 in his possession. Delos Santos鈥� family vehemently denied that the victim was a drug user or a pusher.
Ejercito said the policemen involved in the killing should face charges. 鈥淭hose policemen should be charged. Nakakagalit panoorin,鈥� he said.
Senator Joel Villanueva also expressed alarm over what he called the 鈥渂reakdown of our humanity, with people cheering the killings of individuals who have not been proven guilty.鈥�
鈥淪aw this video report and what appears to be a lousy and terrible police operation. Again, WE CANNOT ALLOW LAWLESSNESS in this country #vigilance,鈥� Villanueva also posted on Twitter.
Senator Francis 鈥淐hiz鈥� Escudero, meanwhile, shared the same observation that the incident was a clear case of murder.
鈥淭he CCTV footage and eyewitness account clearly show that the boy was killed. The police officers involved are not only abusive, they are killers and criminals,鈥� he said.
Senator Sonny Angara, too, called the incident alarming as the victim, he said, clearly had 鈥渘o involvement in drugs whatsoever.鈥�
鈥淧eople lost faith in justice system because of its snail pace, possibility of money-buying justice. This is the problem but EJKs (extrajudicial killings) is not a solution,鈥� Angara said.
鈥淭o the many who condemn EJKs let鈥檚 not stop there; let鈥檚 work towards reforming our justice system. No to vigilante justice and killings and yes to reforms of police, courts, prosecution,鈥� he said.
Escudero called on President Rodrigo Duterte and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald 鈥淏ato鈥� Dela Rosa to act swiftly on the case 鈥渂ecause the poor boy was not even an addict much less a pusher.鈥�
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said he will call for a Senate probe into Delos Santos鈥� killing.
鈥淏ased on the video evidence presented so far in the media, it is quite possible that he was murdered by the policemen who accosted him. A Senate investigation is therefore necessary to establish the true facts, and to ensure that the integrity of the PNP remains intact,鈥� Gatchalian said in a statement.
鈥淲hile I continue to support the government鈥檚 campaign against drugs, it is imperative that we take all necessary steps to ensure that police impunity will never become the status quo in the Philippines,鈥� he said.
Senator Panfilo 鈥淧ing鈥� Lacson, chair of the Senate committee on public order, said if the PNP鈥檚 Internal Affairs Service (IAS) would 鈥渃over up (the incident) as in the case of Supt. Marcos,鈥� the Senate will exercise its oversight authority and conduct a separate inquiry.
The former police chief also questioned the President鈥檚 passion in the drug war, which was only aimed at killing drug pushers but 鈥渂ut evidently wanting in the supply constriction effort.鈥�
鈥淗aving said that, I wonder why he鈥檚 not hitting hard on the Customs people responsible, directly or indirectly for the apparent free flow into the country of tons of high grade meth coming from China? That, for the life of me, I can鈥檛 understand,鈥� Lacson said.
Senator Richard Gordon, who chairs the powerful blue ribbon committee, said he would call for an investigation on the incident.
鈥淲e must be fair. You cannot fight the drug menace by just killing. You must go to the source,鈥� he said in an interview.
Gordon also advised President Duterte, 鈥渁s a friend, to restrain himself鈥� as it puts pressure on the police to carry out more killings in the name of the government鈥檚 drug war.
鈥淓ven in war there are rules. Kaya nga 鈥榩ag ang sundalo qualified na o hindi makalaban, you don鈥檛 just kill him. Drugs is the enemy and this is war but do it within the rules,鈥� he said.
In a separate statement over Twitter, Gordon said: 鈥�(PNP IAS) you must act swiftly. People need to be assured. Justice must be done. Do not protect these PNP murderers. Senate will act.鈥�
Duterte鈥檚 staunch critic Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, on the other hand, said he would request for an all-Senators caucus聽on Tuesday next week聽to bring the issue to the fore.
鈥淪obra na. Maling mali na talaga to (This is too much. This is really wrong). I cannot, in conscience, let this pass. The Senators should have a united stand to stop this,鈥� Trillanes said.
Another minority senator, Risa Hontiveros also condemned the killing.
鈥淭his butchery does not deserve a pat-on-the-back from the President. It deserves an investigation鈥�, she said. 鈥淒uterte commending 32 deaths and dismissing innocent lives lost as collateral damage reinforce impunity among our state forces,鈥� she added.
Senator Loren Legarda also said that while she supports the administration鈥檚 drug war, the government should protect its people.
鈥淲e must protect our children and the citizenry from acts of impunity waged by some police and vigilantes,鈥� Legarda said.