(Eagle News) — Several senators hailed on Thursday, Nov. 30, the decision of a Caloocan court to convict three policemen for the murder of Kian Delos Santos.
“Ngayong umaga, nagwagi ang hustisya.. Isang pagpapatunay na totoo ang karahasan ng ilang myembro ng kapulisan. Isang pagpapatunay na nagsisinungaling ang ilang alagad ng batas,” Senator Francis Pangilinan said in a statement issued after Branch 125 Rodolfo Azucena sentenced to reclusion perpetua P03 Arnel Oares, P01 Jerwin Cruz and P01 Jeremias Pereda for the killing of the 17-year-old in 2016.
He also ordered them to pay P100,000 in civil damages, P100,000 in moral damages, P45,000 in actual damages and P100,000 exemplary damages.
According to Pangilinan, “binabasag nito ang palusot na nanlaban, na kadalasang ginagamit ng mga otoridad para di managot sa mga pagpatay.”
Senator Risa Hontiveros agreed.
She also said President Rodrigo Duterte could not “wash his hands off of these killings any longer and his apologists cannot play deaf, dumb and blind in the President’s defense.”
“Through his words and endless provocation, President Duterte set into motion the killing of thousands. He has smeared the image of the police force. He incited this culture of killing and impunity. He can no longer deny responsibility for inflicting death and violence while he has clearly and repeatedly encouraged them,” Hontiveros said, as she urged the police and the military to stop what she said were the extrajudicial killings in the current administration.
Senator Grace Poe, for her part, said the “case should be followed through until a just conclusion.”
“Hopefully, this would create a momentum that could help stem the tide of unexplained killings in the country,” she said. Meanne Corvera
