Rody: Intel vs Kian won’t stand in court

MANILA, Philippines — Intelligence information that 17-year-old student Kian Loyd delos Santos was a drug runner would not stand in court, President Duterte said.

Speaking to reporters Monday night, Duterte said the information has no probative value and may even be inaccurate. 

“Intel is intel. So, if there is no probative value, how can you use it in court and to the people? Those are just information gathered by the police and the military. It is an internal thing… Maya-maya mali iyan (it may turn out to be wrong),” the President said.  

But Duterte also had questions about the closed circuit television (CCTV) footage, which showed policemen dragging Delos Santos, an apparent contradiction to the claim that the boy fired at the arresting officers. 

“Well, I saw two presumably policemen. How do I put it? Moving a person, but apparently dragging his head or maybe wounded or drunk,” the President said.  

“I cannot go beyond the footage. And there are many of them. The footage, who placed the camera there? How long was it there? If you cannot answer the questions, you cannot answer that in court. Just take in the video, who was the cameraman, how was it used?” he added.  

Duterte said the CCTV footage should also stand the scrutiny of the court. 

“Is the picture the portrayal of the true incident? If you fail to answer these questions… it’s worthless,” the President said. 

Delos Santos, a Grade 11 student, was killed in an anti-drug operation in Caloocan City last Wednesday allegedly after resisting arrest. Police officials also claimed that Delos Santos was a drug courier who sold 10 grams of shabu per day. 

But some witnesses claimed that the policemen beat up the boy, gave him a gun and asked him to run before shooting him.

A CCTV footage showed two policemen carrying Delos Santos, contradicting the policemen’s version of the incident.

Caloocan City police chief Senior Supt. Chito Bersaluna and four other policemen have been relieved from their posts pending investigation of the incident.

Duterte: Abuses possible 

Duterte admitted that it is possible that some abuses have been committed by government forces enforcing his anti-drug crackdown.

“I cannot discount the possibility, as I said, in my reply that there is a possibility that in some of the police incidents, arrests, there could be abuses. I admit that,” the President said. 

“But if they want to put me down, I am, I said, very much willing to encourage them to do it,” he added. 

Despite his promise to protect policemen and soldiers involved in his drug war, Duterte said he would not hesitate to send government troopers guilty of criminal acts behind bars. 

“Should the investigation point to liabilities by one, two or all, there will be a prosecution and they have to go to jail if convicted,” the President said.

“That I can assure you. That there will be no luto-luto (whitewash) there because I really do not interfere,” Duterte said, adding: “But if it is really a rubout, you can be sure. They have to answer for it. They have to go to jail. So I am sorry. That’s what I will tell them.”

Duterte previously said he would not allow any soldier or policeman running after drug syndicates to rot in jail and that he takes full responsibility for the campaign against narcotics. 

The President said he has no plans to visit the wake of Delos Santos, saying it would put too much pressure on the police. 

“It is pregnant with so many suppositions. One is that, ‘Look, Duterte went there maybe to apologize…’ Then, I would be putting so much pressure on the police. They will be distraught. Perhaps Duterte is seeking an apology,” Duterte said. 

“I cannot do that. I cannot do that because the organization of PNP (Philippine National Police) is under me. I would be the last person to condemn them without a valid investigation,” he added. 

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar said Duterte is not numb and is listening to the public’s sentiments on Delos Santos’ case.

Andanar said over dzRH the President was also listening to all sides of the story.

The Palace official made the statement after Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Rueda-Acosta said they would file murder charges against the three policemen who killed Delos Santos.

But Andanar maintained Delos Santos’ case was isolated and that the government was not involved in extrajudicial killings.  — With Christina Mendez, Jess Diaz, Marvin Sy