A decrepit two-storey house in Barangay 160 in Sta. Quiteria, Caloocan, has been packed with people since Friday in an outpouring of sympathy for the family of teenager Kian Loyd delos Santos who was shot dead in a recent police antidrug operation.
Common folk paid their last respects alongside VIPs like Sen. Risa Hontiveros, former Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro, FSC; Kabataan Rep. Sarah Elago, Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan, Caloocan Bishop Pablo David and representatives from Amnesty International, the Commission on Human Rights and Iglesia ni Kristo.
In a simple casket lay the remains of the 17-year-old Delos Santos, whose death in a 鈥淥ne Time, Big Time鈥� police raid on Wednesday night has sparked a nationwide furor.
Police claimed that Kian had shot it out with the lawmen. But relatives, witnesses and those who knew him well disputed this, saying the Grade 12 student was 鈥渟o kind-hearted, so selfless鈥� he could not have been a drug suspect.
Next to Kian鈥檚 casket sat his mother, Lorenza, who rushed home from Riyadh on Thursday upon learning of the death of her son. 鈥淢alambing ang anak ko na 鈥檡an (My son was so sweet),鈥� she said in between sobs.
Krysyle Reyes, Kian鈥檚 former Grade 11 adviser, described Kian as the class clown. 鈥淗e was just a typical high schooler,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen they had difficult school assignments, he would try to lift up his classmates鈥� spirits with jokes.鈥�
Reyes could not believe that Kian had been killed for allegedly pushing drugs. 鈥淗e didn鈥檛 even have a ballpen. He鈥檇 use charm if he didn鈥檛 have snacks,鈥� she said in Filipino.
But whatever Kian lacked in material things, he had the generosity of spirit in abundance, according to his friends and relatives.
His grandmother, Violeta, recalled how, on the night he died, Kian borrowed money from her to buy kikiam.
鈥淪abi niya, 鈥業to lang po ang ulam ko ngayon, hati po tayo鈥� (He said, 鈥楾his is my only meal, I鈥檒l share it with you鈥�),鈥� she recalled Kian saying.
Kian鈥檚 best friend Lenard Macorol tearfully recalled how, when he was hospitalized early this year after an accident, Kian sold his clothes so he could buy him a watermelon and apples.
鈥淗e wanted me to recover fast so I can go back to school,鈥� he said.
Everyone, it seemed, knew that Kian was a popular kid in school. He was congenial and said hello to everyone, even those he didn鈥檛 know.
鈥淗e was always the joker,鈥� Macorol said in Filipino. 鈥淪ometimes, we could hardly get through a class because he kept making jokes.
鈥淜ian was actually in favor of the government鈥檚 war on drugs,鈥� Macorol added. 鈥淗e even participated in a classroom debate arguing about the need for it. He believed that all drug addicts should go.鈥�
Arlene Cenal, assistant high school principal at Our Lady of Lourdes College where Kian studied, said that, apart from tardiness, he did not have records of misdemeanor or any major violations.
Almost everyone in the wake refused to believe that Kian pushed drugs or had a gun when he was shot dead.
鈥淚t鈥檚 maddening because it鈥檚 impossible,鈥� said Allen Serrano, 18.