Caloocan PCP 7 commander, 3 of his men relieved over killing of student in drug op

(Eagle News) — The policemen who took part in an anti-drug operation that saw a minor killed on Wednesday night and their superior have been relieved from their posts.

National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde said in a radio interview on Friday that the three policemen behind the operation in Barangay 160 that saw Kian Loyd Delos Santos, 17, killed have been ordered to report to the  Regional Police Holding Administrative Unit.

He said also relieved was the commander of  police community precinct 7, where the three policemen are assigned.

“Unang-una kahapon pa po pagkakita natin sa news diyan ay pina-relieve ko na (sila),” he said.

According to Albayalde, the relief of the four uniformed men was to ensure that they would not influence the investigation to be conducted by the Internal Affairs Service of the Philippine National Police.

The police had said Delos Santos had run away as they were about to approach him.

They said the 17-year-old student suddenly drew a gun and fired at them, prompting them to retaliate.

The police said recovered from Delos Santos were two sachets of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) and a caliber .45 pistol.

His relatives, however, noted that the seized items did not belong to the boy.

The boy’s father, Zaldy, also noted that there was footage from a barangay closed-circuit television camera that supposedly showed the 17-year-old being “carried” by the policemen.

He said this proved that the account of the policemen that his son shot at them could not be true.