Carl Arnaiz another Kian delos Santos? Nope, says Dela Rosa

Rambo Talabong

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Carl Arnaiz another Kian delos Santos? Nope, says Dela Rosa
(UPDATED) Carl Arnaiz was a 19-year-old slain by police after supposedly hijacking a taxi. Like Kian delos Santos, his autopsy points to cops using excessive violence.

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Is Carl Arnaiz another Kian delos Santos? Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald dela Rosa does not think so.

Carl Arnaiz is a 19-year-old who was killed by police on August 18*. Police did not target the boy for drugs but for involvement in an apparent hijacking and robbery of a taxi, Dela Rosa emphasized. (READ: How Kian delos Santos was killed, according to police)

Citing their report, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald dela Rosa said in a press briefing Monday, September 4, that Caloocan cops searched for the boy with the help of the taxi driver. When they found Arnaiz, a shootout ensued, ending in the boy’s death.

Police found 3 packs of suspected shabu in Arnaiz’s backpack, and marijuana leaves in his pocket. 

According to Dela Rosa, police were unable to identify the boy until his parents arrived at the morgue two weeks later on August 28.

Forensic analysis ordered by the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) showed that Arnaiz died of 5 gunshots, with 4 bullets exiting his body, lead medico-legal Erwin Erfe told Rappler in a text message. Further analysis found signs of torture before his slay, pointing to excessive violence by cops.

Arnaiz was a former University of the Philippines student who graduated valedictorian in elementary. According to reports, his parents denied any of the boy’s involvement in the drug trade.

Like Kian delos Santos, Carl Arnaiz manned their family’s sari-sari store.

Even so, Dela Rosa urged the public not to liken Arnaiz to Delos Santos whose case had sparked a public outcry that led to multiple investigations. (READ: NBI: Cops murdered Kian delos Santos, planted evidence)

“I’d like to caution everyone to please not to be so quick on condemning our policemen dahil ibang-iba po ang kaso na yan. Nag-responde po sila dahil may taxi na hinold-up (because the case is very different. Police responded because a taxi was held up,” Dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa said they have launched an Internal Affairs Service (IAS) investigation on the case leading to the relief of policemen involved in the operation. – Rappler.com

*Editor’s Note: In a previous version of this story, we said Arnaiz was killed on August 16. That has been corrected to August 18.

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Rambo Talabong

Rambo Talabong covers the House of Representatives and local governments for Rappler. Prior to this, he covered security and crime. He was named Jaime V. Ongpin Fellow in 2019 for his reporting on President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. In 2021, he was selected as a journalism fellow by the Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics.