Rowegie Abanto

Justice and human rights advocates join the family and friends of Kian Loyd delos Santos on Saturday, August 16, 2025, in Barangay 160, Caloocan City, for a prayer vigil at the exact spot where the 17-year-old student was killed during an anti-drug operation, marking the eighth year since his death. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

Justice and human rights advocates join the family and friends of Kian Loyd delos Santos on Saturday, August 16, 2025, in Barangay 160, Caloocan City, for a prayer vigil at the exact spot where the 17-year-old student was killed during an anti-drug operation, marking the eighth year since his death. The groups renewed their calls for accountability and for an end to killings linked to the government’s war on drugs

Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

WAR on DRUGS

Adrian Ayalin

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176638476458220250816-kian-delos-santos-death-anniversary-MT8.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">Justice and human rights advocates join the family and friends of Kian Loyd delos Santos on Saturday, August 16, 2025, in Barangay 160, Caloocan City, for a prayer vigil at the exact spot where the 17-year-old student was killed during an anti-drug operation, marking the eighth year since his death. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span>MANILA — The Supreme Court has upheld the murder conviction of three police officers for the killing of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos in an anti-drug operation in Caloocan City in 2017.</div><p>In the decision of the 2nd Division, police officers Arnel Oares, Jeremias Pereda and Jerwin Cruz were found guilty of murder and sentenced to reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years in prison. </p><p>The court ordered the three to pay the delos Santos family P275,000 in damages.</p><p>According to the decision of the court, treachery was present when Kian was shot on August 16, 2017, as he was not in a position to defend himself.</p><p>“Next, we note that the prosecution evidence showed the chain of events that led to Kian being particularly put in this location and in that position by the accused, allowing them to shoot Kian with impunity and ensuring the execution of the crime,” the court said in the decision penned by Associate Justice Jhosep Lopez.</p><p>The court noted that witnesses saw the police officers stop and frisk Delos Santos, who was later dragged toward a dark area near a river.</p><p>Witnesses also heard Delos Santos cry and beg to be allowed to go home because he had an exam the following day.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/28/duterte-denies-responsibility-for-death-of-kian-delos-santos-2013">Duterte denies responsibility for death of Kian Delos Santos</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/11/families-of-individuals-killed-in-duterte-s-drug-war-emotional-in-welcoming-his-arrest-0132">Families of individuals killed in Duterte’s drug war emotional in welcoming his arrest</a></div><p>Before reaching the Supreme Court, the Regional Trial Court and the Court of Appeals convicted the officers of murder and imposed the penalty of reclusion perpetua without eligibility for parole.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/11/29/18/3-pulis-caloocan-guilty-sa-pagpatay-kay-kian-delos-santos">3 pulis-Caloocan guilty sa pagpatay kay Kian delos Santos</a></div><p>The Supreme Court however rejected the claim of the police officers in their appeal for the reversal of their RTC  and CA convictions.</p><p>In their appeal, the police officers said that the inconsistencies in the testimonies of the witnesses affected their credibility.</p><p>But while the Supreme Court affirmed the CA and RTC decisions, it removed the phrase &quot;without eligibility for parole.&quot;</p><p>&quot;As there are no circumstances warranting the imposition of the death penalty due to the lack of generic aggravating circumstances, the said phrase should be deleted,&quot; the SC said.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KCCR6BkboeU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The Supreme Court has upheld the murder conviction of three police officers for the killing of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos in an anti-drug operation in Caloocan City in 2017.</p>

The Supreme Court has upheld the murder conviction of three police officers for the killing of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos in an anti-drug operation in Caloocan City in 2017.

Supreme Court upholds murder conviction of 3 cops over Kian delos Santos killing

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Supreme Court upholds murder conviction of 3 cops over Kian delos Santos killing

Adrian Ayalin,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 22, 2025 02:31 PM PHT

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Kian Delos Santos

Drug War

War On Drugs

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