‘Unlawful killings not allowed’

Rody tells cops: Kill only when faced with resistance

MANILA, Philippines - President Duterte yesterday reminded the police to follow the rules of engagement in operations, stressing that they are not allowed to carry out any unlawful killing.

“Murder and homicide or whatever… unlawful killing… is not allowed,” he said in a speech during the National Heroes Day commemoration at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City.

The President stressed there would be no cover-up in the case of Grade 11 student Kian delos Santos who, along with several others, was killed during a police operation in Caloocan City last Aug. 16.

“Wala akong plano na mag-kapote ng abuso. Hindi trabaho ng Presidente yan (I do not intend to cover up abuses. That’s not the job of a President),” he said.

Kian’s death has drawn widespread public criticism on the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.

He said the campaign would continue as he advised policemen to kill only in an act of self-defense and when overcoming resistance.

“Whenever their (police) life is in danger and they are in the actual performance of duty, your duty requires you to overcome the resistance of the person you are arresting. If there is violence, then you have to overcome that violence to bring him to the folds of the law, and you can put him under your custody,” the President said.

He added that it is not enough for policemen to call out suspects to surrender “because if he (suspect) does not and he resists violently,” it may put the lives of law enforcers in jeopardy.

“If you do the country a favor, I will support you… Just follow the rules of engagement, the requirements of the performance of duty, which you have learned in your (training),” Duterte said.

Witnesses said Kian was executed by the policemen who accused him of being a drug runner. They claimed the teenager was given a gun and ordered to fire it and run.

The policemen, in denying allegations that they executed Kian, claimed that the boy fired at them.

One CCTV footage showed an image of two policemen in plainclothes holding Kian and bringing him to where he was killed – a dimly lit portion of the community.

Autopsy results revealed that Delos Santos was shot on the head while he was already kneeling on the ground and turning away from the police.

His parents, Saldy and Lorenza, filed a complaint for murder against Caloocan City police station 7 head Chief Insp. Amor Cerillo, PO3 Arnel Oares, PO1 Jerwin Cruz and PO1 Jeremias Pereda last Friday.

Oares, Cruz and Pereda were also charged for violating the anti-torture law.

In numerous speeches, Duterte underscored the importance of shielding the children of overseas Filipino workers from the harm that may be brought by drug use or caused by drug abusers.

Lorenza worked as an OFW in Saudi Arabia to provide for Kian’s education.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II dismissed what he said were futile calls for him to inhibit in cases involving the slain teenager.

He said leaders of the militant group Akbayan were “misinformed and ignorant of procedures” when they called for his inhibition in the preliminary investigation on the murder and torture charges filed by Kian’s parents against the four police officers.

“I will not even touch that case. I have not myself resolved even a single case in the DOJ since I assumed office,” Aguirre stressed in a text message.

He explained that a preliminary investigation is conducted by prosecutors and a justice secretary has no hand in it unless its resolution is appealed or petitioned for review.

“Even on appeal, I will not handle the case. The cases on appeal are assigned to my five undersecretaries. They will not be brought to me for filing in court or dismissal,” Aguirre said.

The DOJ chief also denied that he has prejudged Kian’s case, stressing that he is “only biased in favor of the truth and of justice.”

He said he already condemned the killing of Kian and gave assurance that “the ones responsible for this dastardly act will be punished to the full extent of the law.”?Akbayan echoed the call earlier made by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, their former party-list representative in the House, for Aguirre to inhibit from the case.

“Secretary Aguirre has consistently downplayed the death of Kian as an isolated event. The secretary, who denies the existence of extrajudicial killings in the country, said that the case of Kian was blown out of proportions. Because of these reasons, among many others, Secretary Aguirre must inhibit from the case of Kian to prevent any form of whitewashing,” Akbayan Youth said in a statement yesterday.?In Nueva Ecija, the Catholic diocese is joining the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan in ringing church bells to pray for an end to the killings.

In a statement, Father Richard Lagos noted the growing chaos, confusion and division about various issues especially on drugs, widespread extrajudicial killings and other crimes.

If there are two faces that the Church now has, these are the faces of Kian delos Santos and all other victims of injustice: kneeling down and begging, kneeling down and suffering, the statement read.

Lagos also urged the faithful to pray for those killed in the government’s war and their families. – With Edu Punay, Eva Visperas, Cecille Suerte Felipe