Court denies appeal of Kian’s killers

MANILA, Philippines — The Caloocan regional trial court denied the appeal of the three police officers convicted of killing 17-year-old Kian Delos Santos, thumbing down their chance of reversing their murder conviction and life sentence.

In his April 29 order, Judge Rodolfo Azucena Jr. found no merit in the motions of dismissed policemen Staff Sgt. Arnel Oares and Patrolmen Jeremias Pereda and Jerwin Cruz seeking a reversal of their conviction.

In their appeal, the policemen pointed out inconsistencies in the testimonies of witnesses who saw them drag Kian to a dark alley where they shot him by the bank of the Tullahan River on Aug. 16, 2017.

But the judge said he reviewed the transcript of stenographic notes, and “unfortunately for them, it does not tend to diminish the probative value of the testimonies at issue.”

The witnesses’“demeanor and candor when called to testify convinced the court of their sincerity in ferreting out the truth,” the judge said.

“The frailties of the human mind and its capacity to assimilate details of a shooting incident, the inconsistencies and variances in the declarations of a witness does not weaken their probative value,” the judge added.

In convicting the policemen, the judge relied on the eyewitness testimonies of two girls, 14 and 17 years old, respectively, and a senior citizen.

The judge sentenced the lawmen to life imprisonment at the New Bilibid Prison without parole.

Informant Renato “Nonong” Loveraz will face trial separately for acting as an accomplice in Kian’s murder. – Marc Jayson Cayabyab