MANILA – The conviction of the three Caloocan City policemen in the murder of student Kian delos Santos last year only showed the country’s “robust” judicial system, Malacañang said.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo lauded the Caloocan City Regional Trial Court Branch 125 for the completion of the case.
“It took the prosecution team only six months to finish the case. It means that the prosecution really did their homework,” Panelo told Malacañang reporters. “It also shows the robust justice system in the Philippines.”
“President (Rodrigo Duterte) said before when he declared war on drugs that those who will abuse their authority will have hell to pay,” he added during the press briefing on Nov. 29.
For his part, Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said the verdict should warn police officers against abusing their power in carrying out the war on drugs.
“This case can serve as a reminder for the rest of our personnel to be extra diligent in fulfilling the requirements of the law as we serve and protect our citizens,” Albayalde said in a statement.
“But this will not cause us to waver a bit in our resolve to rid this society of the menace of illegal drugs,” he added. “The PNP stands ready to help ensure that justice will always be served to everyone.”
Meanwhile Department of Justice secretary Menardo Guevarra said the conviction refutes claims that the Duterte administration was carrying out the crackdown on drugs with impunity.
“The conviction debunks the myth that there is a culture of impunity in the government’s war against illegal drugs,” Guevarra said. “The conviction serves as a warning to our law enforcers that the rule of law and due process must always be observed.”
Caloocan RTC Branch 125 on Thursday sentenced police officers Arnel Oares, Jeremias Pereda and Jerwin Cruz to reclusion perpetua, or 30 to 40 years in prison, for the killing to delos Santos in a police-led antidrug operation in August last year.
Delos Santos’ death drew widespread condemnation of Duterte’s war on drugs, for which the President currently faces complaints at the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity./PN
