Lawmakers denounce slay of Grade 11 student during ‘Tokhang’

SEVERAL lawmakers on Friday issued statements condemning the killing of a Grade 11 student during the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) “One-Time, Big-Time” anti-drug operation Thursday night.

ACT Teachers Partylist Representatives Antonio Tinio and France Castro hit the killing of 17-year-old public school student Kian Loyd Delos Santos by Caloocan police, which they branded as “fascist, anti-poor.”

“We condemn this most deplorable killing of a child on the incredible pretext that he was a drug suspect and ‘nanlaban’—the modus operandi of elements of the PNP in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs,” said Tinio.

“This so-called war on drugs is actually a war against the people, mostly the poor, who are being killed on mere suspicion and say-so of police,” Castro added.

Magdalo Partylist Representative Gary Alejano also slammed President Rodrigo Duterte over the slay of Delos Santos, even calling the him “heartless.”

“Saan hinuhugot ni Pangulong Duterte ang sinasabi niyang mahal niya ang mga Pilipino kung wala siyang pakundangang pumapatay ng libo-libo? Paano siya maituturing na ama ng bansa kung siya ay natutuwa pa sa mapait na sinasapit ng kanyang mga anak? Walang puso si Duterte,” he said,

Police reports said that Delos fired a gun at them as they approach him that “forced” them to fight back.

However, CCTV footage of the scene showed police dragging the victim to a dark place where he was shot.

Witnesses also said that the men dragging Delos Santos were forcing him to hold a gun and shabu, later on found on his body.

Zero budget for Tokhang?

Meanwhile, Anakpawis Partylist Representative Ariel Casilao also denounced the killing and called on people to express outrage directed to PNP.

“War on drugs is not even a war, as victims are helpless, like the case of the Grade 11 student killed in Caloocan, we…call on various sectors to unite as this exhibition of atrocity should have no place in a supposedly democratic and free society in the country,” Casilao said.

The lawmaker said the P900 million budget for Oplan Double Barrel Reloaded (commonly known as Tokhang) must be erased in the appropriations, wary that “this will worsen the already worse state of killings under the facade of war on drugs.”

Casilao also warned Duterte and PNP Chief Ronal Dela Rosa to stop the killings.

“The senseless killings must stop or President Duterte, General Bato Dela Rosa, and all those who are responsible are certain to face the buildup of people’s resentment in the near future,” Casilao said. (SunStar Philippines)

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