A Philippine court on Thursday sentenced three police officers to up to 40 years in jail for murdered a 17-year-old student during a crackdown on narcotics in a slum neighbourhood in 2017.
The verdict marks the first conviction of police officers under President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign against illicit drugs, which has left nearly 5,000 people dead since July 2016.
The Caloocan City regional trial court declared the three police guilty for the killing of Kian Santos in August 2017 in a dark, trash-filled alley in a northern suburb in the capital Manila.
“A shoot first, think later attitude can never be countenanced in a civilised society.
“Never has homicide or murder been a function of law enforcement.
“The public peace is never predicated on the cost of human life,’’ said the ruling by Judge, Roldolfo Azucena.
National Police Chief Director-General, Oscar Albayalde, vowed the conviction would not hamper the campaign against illegal drugs.
“This case can serve as a reminder for the rest of our personnel to be extra diligent in fulfilling the requirements of the law as we serve and protect our citizens,’’ Albayalde said.
“But this will not cause us to waiver a bit in our resolve to rid this society of the menace of illegal drugs,’’ he added.
This was the first case of what human rights advocates say was an extrajudicial killing carried out by state-agents in the 29-month war on drugs.
Police reject allegations that the killings were executions, saying the drug peddlers and users were killed in shootouts and that they were acting in self-defence.
“We respect the decision of the court.
“We don’t tolerate any erring police officers,’’ said Benigno Durana, National Police spokesman.
Durana added that the police force “stand fully behind police officers engaged in the drug war, who are doing their jobs within the bounds of the law.’’
The death of the school boy has stirred unprecedented public attention on what activists say are executions and systematic abuses by police backed steadfastly by Duterte.
Duterte, a firebrand leader, who unleashed a ferocious war against illegal drugs after coming into office in June 2016, said he would not allow the police to go to jail for killing drug users and pushers.
But shortly after the verdict was handed down, Duterte’s spokesman, Salvador Panelo said: “This is a murder, there is intention to kill.
“The president would never tolerate that’’.
Duterte’s government has repeatedly said there was no declared policy to kill drug users and pushers.
“The conviction of the three police officers for murdering Santos is a victory for justice but it is not enough.
“The killings must stop,” said Jose Diokno, Chairman of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG).
FLAG has questioned the legality of the drugs war before the Philippine Supreme Court.
Santos was found dead in an alley with a gun in his left hand.
Police said they killed him in self-defence, but his family dismissed that as a lie.
Security cameras showed the officers aggressively escorting a man matching Santos’ description in the direction of the spot where he was killed.
“Justice was served for my son,’’ Santo’s mother, Lorenza Santos, told reporters outside the courtroom.
“We were able to prove that my son was innocent of all the accusations hurled against him.’’
Santos was one of three teenagers whose deaths last year triggered public outrage over Duterte’s drug war.
Human Rights Watch cautiously hailed the decision, noting that Duterte once promised to pardon any law enforcer convicted in drug war killings.
“This is a triumph of justice and accountability and a warning to members of the Philippine National Police to respect due process and the rights of civilians as they do their job,’’ said Brad Adams, Asia Director of the New York-based group. (Reuters/NAN)