Three Philippine police officers to be arrested in first murder case linked to war on drugs
The officers were also charged with planting drugs and a handgun on 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos, who friends and family insist was not involved in selling drugs
A court in the Philippines ordered the arrest on Wednesday of three policemen for the high-profile August 2017 killing of a teenager, the first murder case in a brutal war on drugs that has killed thousands of Filipinos.
The Caloocan City regional trial court in Manila issued an arrest order following the recent filing of murder charges by state prosecutors over the death of 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos, a student described in a police report after his death as a drug courier.
“We will comply with the arrest order,” said John Bulalacao, national police spokesman, adding the three policemen once arrested would be transferred to a jail.
They are currently on restricted duty having been reassigned to the regional headquarters south of Manila in the wake of the teenager’s murder. His death caused outrage over a bloody drugs crackdown that is largely supported by Filipinos, but condemned by the international community.
The three policemen were also charged with planting drugs and a handgun on delos Santos, who according to police experts, was shot dead while on his knees in a dark alley. His family and friends insist he had no involvement in drugs.
