17-year-old boy, killed in Caloocan anti-drug operation, laid to rest
A big crowd joined family, friends and supporters of Kian Loyd Delos Santos attended the funeral march on Saturday morning.
Nearly a thousand were seen walking alongside the mini-truck carrying the body of 17-year-old Delos Santos who was shot dead in a police anti-drug operation in Calocan on August 16. He was buried at 2 pm at the La Loma Cemetery after the throng struggled to enter the area due to the small passage.
The funeral march stopped at the Police Community Precinct 7 before 9:00 am. where the three police officers involved in the death of Delos Santos were assigned.
The three police officers were administratively relieved by the PNP and are facing a criminal complaint for murder and torture filed by the Public Attorney's Office on behalf of the delos Santos family, before the Department of Justice.
The police of Caloocan and the director of the Northern Police District were also administratively relieved by the PNP.
Around 15 to 20 vehicles carrying supporters of Delos Santos protested in front of PCP 7, a police officer said.
He said SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) and District Public Safety Battalion officers from Northern Police District were deployed to assure the peacefulness of the funeral procession.
Saldy Delos Santos , father of the slain student, said while holding his tears inside the Sta. Quiteria Church where the funeral mass was held.“I don’t want anything except for Kian to get and for them to pay for what they did”, said the elder Delos Santos.
“I hope what they did to my son will not happen to their family”, he added.
Police Officer 3 Arnel Oares, and Police Officers 1 Jeremias Pereda and Jerwin Cruz, the three police officers involved in the case are facing criminal charges filed by family of the boy.
The older Delos Santos said his son is a nice child. “Starting from 6 in the morning, he will wake up. He is selling in front of our store that is why the whole barangay knows him, how kind he is”, he said.
“At 12, I will replace him in the store…in the evening at 7 he will still help in closing. How will drugs enter our family?” he said.
Militant group Karapatan said in a statement, "As the entire nation lays Kian to rest, we mourn for the thousands of others whose lives were taken in the course of this bloody campaign. We thus call for an end to the killings, the immediate prosecution of those involved, and an end to the war-on-drugs campaign”.
Another militant group, Bayan, which joined the funeral march of Delos Santos, they said: “We march today to bring Kian to his final resting place and to support the call for justice for all victims of Duterte’s fascist drug war”. Alanna Ambi/DMS
