By: Jeffrey G. Damicog
Public Attorneys’ Office (PAO) Chief Persida Acosta intends to include in the criminal complaint all 12 members of the police team who conducted the August 16 anti-illegal drugs operations in Caloocan City that led to the death of Grade 11 student Kian Loyd delos Santos.
During the first hearing of preliminary investigation of the case at the Department of Justice (DoJ), Acosta asked the panel of prosecutors to subpoena all records and the list of names being investigated by the Philippine National Police-Internal Affairs Service (PNP-IAS) involving the incident.
“In fairness to the PNP, the PNP-IAS is conducting a thorough investigation on the administrative aspect of this case,” Acosta told the panel.
“So it would be better for the panel to be appraised of the identities, the complete name and the ranks of the alleged members of the team,” she pointed out.
The PAO chief noted the PNP-IAS is investigating 12 policemen involved in the operation in Caloocan City on the night of August 16.
Kian’s parents, Saldy and Lorenza, with the assistance of the PAO filed before the DoJ last August 25 murder and torture complaints against dismissed Caloocan City Police Community Precinct 7 commander Chief Inspector Ameor Cerillo; Police Officer 3 Arnel Oares; PO1 Jerwin Cruz; PO1 Jeremias Pereda; and John Does.
Last August 31, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) also filed criminal complaints against the same policemen before the DoJ after finding in its probe that the 17-year-old student was murdered.
Apart from murder, the NBI accused the four policemen of having committed violation of domicile under Article 128 of the Revised Penal Code and planting of evidence under Section 29 of Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
DoJ panel of prosecutors have consolidated the complaints filed by the NBI and Kian’s parents.
Meanwhile, all the parties in the case agreed to have the respondents file their counter-affidavits on September 25.
After which, the complainants are scheduled to submit their replies on October 2.
The case will be considered submitted for resolution once the rejoinders have been filed on October 10.
