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Family of witnesses in Kian slay seeks Church protection

Rappler.com

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Family of witnesses in Kian slay seeks Church protection

Angie de Silva

(3rd UPDATE) After a standoff, the family of witnesses in the killing of Kian Loyd delos Santos chooses to run to Caloocan Bishop Pablo David, not the CIDG

MANILA, Philippines (3rd UPDATE) – The family of witnesses in the killing of Kian Loyd delos Santos sought the protection of the Catholic Church on Saturday, September 9, after refusing police custody.

Delos Santos is the 17-year-old student slain by the Caloocan City police in an alleged frame-up, a case that has fueled public outrage against President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.

In Caloocan, the Catholic Church has taken in its custody at least 3 witnesses in Delos Santos’ death – two of them adults and one a minor. The minor’s 3 siblings also took shelter in the Catholic Church.

The witnesses’ father, on the other hand, had been in the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP). At first, he wanted his children to leave the Catholic Church’s custody, until Saturday when he changed his mind.

“The father of the witnesses asked to be released from CIDG custody and join his children under Church custody,” Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David told Rappler past midnight on Sunday, September 10.

“The CIDG respected the decision,” David said.  

Earlier on Saturday, tension rose at the Caloocan bishop’s residence after the witnesses’ father came to take his children from David’s custody. 

PAO shouldered father’s bail

In a hastily called press conference, David explained that the witnesses’ father arrived there around 2:30 pm with members of the CIDG of the Philippine National Police (PNP), as well as the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC).

The father has an interesting story because he was in jail for a drug-related case when his children went under David’s care as witnesses. 

Recently, David said, the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) shouldered the father’s bail. Later, the father found himself executing an affidavit demanding custody over his children.

The father was to have an emotional reunion with his children on Saturday at the Caloocan bishop’s residence. “Nagyakapan sila ng kanilang ama,” David said. (The father and his children hugged each other.)

The father then consulted with his children, as well as his wife who is working in the Middle East, on the issue of custody.

Nu’ng matapos silang mag-usap at lumabas sila, ang desisyon nila ay ayaw nilang sumama sa CIDG. Gusto nila na ang protective custody nila ay sa Simbahan,” David said. (After they came out of their discussion, their decision was that they do not want to go with the CIDG. They want to be in the protective custody of the Church.) 

The father opted to release a statement requesting release from the custody of the CIDG.

 Below is an excerpt from Bishop David’s press conference around midnight on Sunday:

Kaninang hapon, mga bandang 2:30, ay dumalaw dito ‘yung isang CIDG, at kasama ‘yung VACC. At kasama din nila ‘yung ama ng mga testigo. Nakipagkita sa akin ‘yung grupo, at pagkatapos, nu’ng pagbaba ko, binigyan niya ako ng–, iniwan na nila itong sulat kasi maaga silang dumating at binasa ko ‘yung sulat, at sinasabi nu’ng sulat, ‘yung ama ay hinihingi niya ‘yung kustodiya sa kanyang mga anak. Sabi niya, “Ako ay may parental authority sa aking mga anak, kaya hinihingi ko na i-release ninyo sa akin ang mga anak ko.”

Ako naman, sabi ko doon sa CIDG at saka sa VACC, wala akong problema, sabi ko, sabihin ‘nyo lang ho kung kailan. I am ready, sabi ko, to release them to you. At nag-prepare na nga ako ng kasulatan na pipirmahan na lang ni (name of witness’ father held confidential). Si (name of witness’ father), siya ‘yung ama ng mga testigo, at ito ‘yung kasulatan, at may pirma sana ng mga testigo, para sabihing itu-turn over ko na ‘yung custody.

Kasi naipasa sa akin ‘yung custody pagkatapos ng Senate hearing. Nu’ng natapos na ‘yung Senate custody, nangailangan ng protective custody ang mga bata. At pinakiusapan ako, at sabi ko naman, kung ano man ang maitutulong ng Simbahan, willing kami, basta kailangan may pahintulot ng kanilang mga guardians, mga magulang. At mayroon nga na pahintulot.

Pero itong ama, noong panahon na ‘yon, hindi siya nagbigay ng pahintulot kasi nakakulong siya. ‘Yung ama ay may drug case. Tapos pinyansyahan siya ng PAO. At siyempre nakalabas siya. Ngayong nakalabas na siya, nag-execute siya nitong statement nga demanding custody sa kanyang mga anak.

So sabi ko, “Okay, nire-recognize ko ang authority mo bilang ama.” Ang sabi ko, “I am willing, any time, na i-release sa inyo ang mga testigo.” Ako, basta, hanggang kailangan ang tulong ng Simbahan, nandito kami. Kung hindi na kami kailangan, sige, kung kayo ang magte-take over ng custody sa kanila, ang pakiusap ko lang, ingatan ‘nyo sila. ‘Yun lang ang sabi ko.

Pagkatapos dumating na dito, so kinontak ko ‘yung mga madre na nagte-take charge ng mga testigo. Tapos tinransport nila dito ang mga testigo, pinakain ko muna sila dito, at pagkatapos kumain ay pinag-usap ko sila.

So nakiusap ang mga testigo, at nagyakapan sila ng kanilang ama, at nakiusap ang mga bata, “Gusto po naming magkasarilinan muna, kaming magpapamilya,” at mukhang tatawag din sila sa kanilang nanay na nasa abroad, sa Middle East, sa Oman.

So nagsarili sila dito, medyo nagtagal-tagal nang konti, kasi ako naghihintay lang na pumirma na doon, para ma-turn over ko na sila. Tapos nu’ng matapos silang mag-usap at lumabas sila, ang desisyon nila ay ayaw nilang sumama sa CIDG. Gusto nila na ang protective custody nila ay sa Simbahan.

Ang sabi ko, “Ako ho, kayo ang masusunod diyan,” sabi ko.

Nag-react ‘yung siyempre, ‘yung CIDG at saka ‘yung VACC, at dumating din ‘yung kanilang lawyer. Ang lawyer nila si Attorney Jing Paras. Tapos kinausap niya nang sarilinan si Mr (name of witness’ father held confidential), ang ama, tapos sinabi nga, “Ikaw ay nasa kustodiya pa rin namin dahil humingi ka ng tulong sa PAO at hinanap ka ng abogado, ako’y abogado ng VACC, at tinutulungan ka namin. Ngayon, ano ang desisyon mo? At sinabi ng ama na gusto na niyang sumama sa kanyang mga anak.

Medyo nagkaroon ng konting tensyon. Noong una, medyo ayaw siyang ibigay ng CIDG. Medyo nag-usap uli at pilit parang kino-convince ‘yung ama na at least siya sumama pa rin sa CIDG. Ako naman, sabi ko, anuman po ang desisyon ninyo, I am impartial. Ang sabi ko, kung gustong sumama ni tatay doon sa CIDG, okay din po ‘yon, nirerespeto ko.

Pero finally nagdesisyon pa rin ‘yung tatay, “Mas gusto ko sa Simbahan.”

– Rappler.com

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