Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Family, friends, justice advocates, and human rights supporters of Kian Loyd delos Santos gather on Saturday, August 16, 2025, in Barangay 160, Caloocan City, as the group offer a wreath, light candles, and hold a prayer vigil at the exact spot where the 17-year-old student is killed during an anti-drug operation, marking the eighth year since his death and renewing calls for accountability and an end to killings linked to the government’s war on drugs. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1755330937399viber_image_2025-08-16_14-56-46-807.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Family, friends, justice advocates, and human rights supporters of Kian Loyd delos Santos gather on Saturday, August 16, 2025, in Barangay 160, Caloocan City, as the group offer a wreath, light candles, and hold a prayer vigil at the exact spot where the 17-year-old student is killed during an anti-drug operation, marking the eighth year since his death and renewing calls for accountability and an end to killings linked to the government’s war on drugs. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Supporters and some family members honored Kian Delos Santos exactly eight years since his brutal killing.</p><p>Akbayan Party-list Rep. Percy Cendaña and Kian’s uncle Randy Delos Santos led a wreath-laying and candle-lighting ceremony at the exact site in Libis Baesa, Caloocan City where he was fatally shot by some members of Caloocan police in an anti-drug operation on August 16, 2017.</p><p>Prayers were offered for Kian and other victims of the bloody drug war of the Duterte administration.</p><p>“Kinakailangan nating ‘wag kalimutan na hanggang ngayon ay matagal na ang nakaraan, hindi pa natin nakakamit ang tunay na katarungan,” Cendaña said.</p><p>(We must never forget that, until now, we have not achieved true justice)</p><p>He added that unlike Kian and other drug war victims, former President Rodrigo Duterte is being accorded due process while at the International Criminal Court, where he is facing a crimes against humanity case.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/28/duterte-denies-responsibility-for-death-of-kian-delos-santos-2013"><strong>Duterte denies responsibility for death of Kian Delos Santos</strong></a></div><p>“Maaaring may ilang na-convict pero hinihintay natin ang kinakailangang mapanagot — ‘yung mga mastermind, ‘yung utak ng madugong war on drugs,” he added.</p><p>(While some have been convicted, we are waiting for accountability from the masterminds, the brains behind the bloody war on drugs)</p><p>Duterte is set to reappear before the Pre-Trial Chamber 1 for his confirmation of charges hearing to begin on Sept. 23.</p><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"><strong>Families of individuals killed in Duterte’s drug war emotional in welcoming his arrest</strong></a></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1755331075421viber_image_2025-08-16_14-56-54-148.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>Cendaña vowed to refile and push for the passage of ‘<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/11/5/-kian-bill-pushes-for-humane-and-health-based-solutions-for-drug-issues-1710">Kian Bill</a>’ this 20th Congress which seeks humane and health-based solutions for drug issues.</p><p>“Hindi na dapat maulit itong madugong tokhang, hindi na dapat maulit ‘yung pang-aabuso ng kapangyarihan ng ating kapulisan,” the lawmaker stated.</p><p>(The bloody tokhang should not be repeated. The abuse of power the police should not be repeated)</p><p>He stressed that addressing the problem of drug use should be done through the correct framework.</p><p>“This is a health issue—hindi baril, hindi karahasan ang tugon (guns and violence are not the answer),” he added.</p><p>For Randy, commemorating his nephew’s death is a reminder to continue demanding justice for all victims.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/02/02/23/fortun-reports-inconsistencies-in-kian-delos-santos-autopsy">Forensic expert reports inconsistencies in Kian Delos Santos autopsy</a></div><div><br/></div><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:560px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px;text-align:center"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:560px;height:316px;display:block;flex-grow:1" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1956601677592621465&amp;lang=en&amp;maxWidth=560px&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-08-16T08%3A04%3A57.224145%3A7d2bbc16-69da-47b7-bbb9-79d2f0a5f54b%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=d9782a0fe4508c090b480f81b08917410a89ccf6&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" data-tweet-id="1956601677592621465"></iframe></div><div><br/></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>“Sa isang bahagi po kasi, si Kian ‘yung naging marka eh at pag-amin na nagkaroon ng extrajudicial killing,” the older Delos Santos said.</p><p>(In  away, Kian became the prompt to acknowledge there were extrajudicial killings)</p><p>He said the commemoration of Kian&#x27;s death should serve to reawaken people&#x27;s sentiments against extrajudicial killings. </p><p>“Halos buong mundo nagkaisa tayo na kondenahin ‘yung mga ganitong klase ng patayan. Pero paglipas ng panahon, tila nakalimutan na natin,” he noted.</p><p>(Virtually the entire world united to condemn this kind of killings, but we seem to have forgotten over time)</p><p>Kian’s uncle further noted the lack of investigation into the killings of other extrajudicial killing victims.</p><p>“Tandaan natin na hindi lang si Kian. Maraming mga pinatay ang wala pa, ni isa pa, ang isinagawang pag-iimbestiga. Paano nila gagawin ito? Isang hamon sa kanila ito,” he added. </p><p>(Remember, it was not just Kian. Let us remember that there are killings that have not been investigated. How will they investigate this? That is the challenge to them)</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/11/29/18/3-cops-found-guilty-of-murder-over-kian-delos-santos-slay">3 cops found guilty of murder over Kian Delos Santos slay</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><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/9PPcPm5bznk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Supporters and some family members honored Kian Delos Santos exactly eight years since his brutal killing.</p>

Supporters and some family members honored Kian Delos Santos exactly eight years since his brutal killing.

‘Remembering Kian’: Groups, kin call for justice for drug war victims

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‘Remembering Kian’: Groups, kin call for justice for drug war victims

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 16, 2025 03:33 PM PHT

|

Updated August 16, 2025 06:53 PM PHT

Read More:

Kian Delos Santos

Caloocan

drug war

Percy Cendaña

Randy Delos Santos

Rodrigo Duterte

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