(Eagle News)–A human rights group on Thursday, Nov. 30, lauded a Caloocan court’s decision to convict three policemen for the killing of Kian Delos Santos in 2017.
But while the Human Rights Watch said it was “heartened” by the decision of Branch 125 Judge Rodolfo Azcuna “a triumph of justice and accountability,” it was “wary” P03 Arnel Oares, P01 Jerwin Cruz and P01 Jeremias Pereda would escape liability “because (President Rodrigo) Duterte has promised to pardon police officers convicted in the drug war killings.”
“There is reason to suspect that he will keep that promise,” HRW said.
According to the group, it is for this reason the International Criminal Court government should create “an independent commission” that will investigate such killings, noting what it said was information from the police that they had killed 5,000 during their anti-drug operations.
The group said this also “underscores the need for the International Criminal Court to take further action on the complaints against Duterte,” referring to the communication filed by the group of lawyer Jude Sabio, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano against the chief executive over the drug war.
“(President Duterte’s) brutal drug war has not spared children. Many of them died in the hands of the Philippine police during anti-drug operations…Most of these killings have not been investigated by the authorities,” HRW said.
Branch 125 Judge Rodolfo Azucena sentenced P03 Arnel Oares, P01 Jerwin Cruz and P01 Jeremias Pereda to reclusion perpetua for the murder of Delos Santos, and ordered them to pay P100,000 in civil damages, P100,000 in moral damages, P45,000 in actual damages and P100,000 exemplary damages.
Azucena, however, dismissed the two cases for planting of evidence filed against the three policemen.