This year would be the second time that Kian delos Santos’ family and friends will celebrate Christmas without him after he was killed by three policemen in Caloocan City on Aug. 16, 2017.
But this time around, the holidays will be a little bit merrier after the Caloocan Regional Trial Court Branch 125 found PO3 Arnel Oares, PO1 Jeremias Pereda, and PO1 Jerwin Cruz guilty of murdering the 17-year-old student.
“Wala pang Pasko, natanggap ko na agad ang regalo ni God –Kian,” Lenard Macorol, Kian’s best friend, said in a Facebook post.
Lenard, who visited Kian’s tomb with a group of his friends a day after promulgation day, said that he and his friends are very happy with the verdict.
“Sana masaya na siya kasi nakamit na niya ‘yung hustisya para sa kanya. Maging mapayapa na siya sa feeling ni God,” he said.
“Palagi namin siyang aalalahanin kasi mahal na mahal po namin siya,” he said.
Lorenza delos Santos, Kian’s mother, said she was grateful for the speedy resolution of the case. She shared that they once vowed to not stop until they get justice for Kian’s death.
“We’re happy because we proved to many people that Kian is innocent and the accusations of him being a drug courier are not true,” she said.
“Anak ko siya at biktima lang ng extra judicial killings.”
Meanwhile, Carl Angelo Arnaiz’s father, Carlito, said he hopes that the same justice be given to his son.
“Sana ganon din ang kalabasan ng kaso ni Carl,” he said.
Carl Angelo was a 19-year-old student who went missing after going out of his house in Cainta, Rizal to buy snacks on the night of Aug. 17, 2017.
Ten days later, his body was found dead in a morgue in Caloocan with five bullet wounds, hematoma, and abrasions.
PO1 Jeffrey Perez and PO1 Robert Arquilita, who are tagged in Reynaldo de Guzman’s, alias “Kulot,” and Carl’s killings, are being tried for murder at the Navotas City RTC Branch 287.
“Magandang halimbawa ‘yan sa mga abusadong pulis. ‘Yan ang nagpapatunay na walang kinikilingan ang hustisya,” Carlito said.
Carlito is confident that the suspects will be convicted because the testimonies of the prosecution’s witness match the autopsy report done on Carl.
