3 cops guilty of killing Kian delos Santos

Caloocan Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 125 Judge Rodolfo Azucena convicted Police Officer 3 Arnel Oares, Police Officer 1 Jeremias Pereda, and Police Officer 1 Jerwin Cruz, and sentenced them to reclusion perpetua, or imprisonment for 20 to 40 years, without eligibility for parole. 

They were also ordered to pay Delos Santos’ family P100,000 in civil indemnity, P100,000 in moral damages, P45,000 in actual damages, and P100,000 in exemplary damages

This is the first conviction of cops in President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.

However the 3 were found not guilty of planting firearms and drugs for failure of the prosecution to prove this.

“The court commiserates with our policemen who regularly thrust their lives in zones of danger in order to maintain peace and order and acknowledges the apprehension faced by their families whenever they go on duty,” said Azucena in his 35-page decision.

The 3 were immediately taken away by their police escorts, none of the convicted cops made a statement.