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[av_heading heading=’ DOJ panel to look into raps vs Caloocan cops ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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MANILA – The Department of Justice on Wednesday formed a panel of prosecutors that will tackle the cases filed against police officers tagged to the death of the 17-year-old Kian delos Santos.
OIC (officer-in-charge) Prosecutor-General Severino Gana Jr. assigned Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Tofel Austria, Assistant State Prosecutor Amanda Garcia and Associate Prosecutor Atty. Moises Acaya as panel members.
The panel shall look into the murder and torture charges that delos Santos’ parents Saldy and Lorenza filed against Police Officer 3 Arnel Oares and Police Officers 1 Jeremias Pereda and Jerwin Cruz of Caloocan City.
The three policemen were under restrictive custody as the Philippine National Police’s Internal Affair Service investigates them over the Aug. 16 shooting and killing of delos Santos.
Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre said the evidence showed there was foul play in the supposed antidrug operation.
“Evidence clearly showed there was foul play,” Aguirre said. “Ang kamatayan ay kamatayan. Kailanman ay isang napakalaking tragedy iyan sa mga pamilya ni Kian (delos Santos).”
During a Senate inquiry last Thursday, the three policemen claimed they were just defending themselves when they gunned down delos Santos, who they accused of being a drug runner.
Delos Santos’ family, however, insisted that footage from a security camera in the area suggests that the Grade 11 student could not have run away as a policeman dragged him after his arrest./PN
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