Kulot's parents now under government protection

MANILA, Philippines – The parents of Reynaldo “Kulot” De Guzman, the 14-year-old who was allegedly slain by cops, is now under the government’s protection, Justice Secretary Vitaliano  Aguirre II said.

In a news conference Friday afternoon, Aguirre said that Eduardo Gabriel and Lina De Guzman-Dimaganti have been put under the provisional coverage of the Witness Protection Program (WPP).

The WPP is under the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The Justice chief said that Kulot's parents voluntarily sought the DOJ to be put under the government’s protection this morning.

“Mabuti at naniwala sila sa kakayahanan ng WPP,” Aguirre said.

Kulot’s parents, with the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), filed murder, torture raps against Caloocan Police Officer (PO)1 Jeffrey Perez and PO1 Ricky Arquilita and several unidentified cops.

Mother believes Kulot's death linked to Carl's

Lina, in her complaint, said: “Ang sadyang pagpatay sa aming anak ay may direktang kaugnayan sa pagpatay kay Carl Angelo Arnaiz dahil sa deklarasyon ng mga taga lugar naming sila ang magkasamang dalawa mula sa Cainta bago sila makitang patay na,”

Kulot was last seen with Carl on the night of August 17 in Cainta, Rizal. The body of Carl was found 11 days later, at a funeral home in Caloocan City. The 19-year-old former University of the Philippines student reportedly robbed a taxi driver and fired back at responding policemen, prompting the authorities to shoot him.

A body believed to be Kulot was found floating in a creek in Gapan, Nueva Ecija. Kulot’s family laid to rest the body at Pasig City Public Cemetery last Wednesday. This, despite the doubts on the body’s identity casted by the PNP’s DNA test.