Kian's parents do the fist sign after Duterte meeting
It looks like there is no bad blood between President Rodrigo Duterte and the parents of 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos who was killed in a drug raid conducted by the Caloocan City police.
Malacañang photos revealed that Duterte and delos Santos’ mom, Lorenza, hugged each other during their lunch meeting on Monday at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang Park.
Lorenza and her husband, Saldy, also did Duterte’s signature fist symbol in one of the photos. They were photographed together with the President and Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption chairman Dante Jimenez.
Pres. Duterte, Kian's mom Lorenza delos Santos hugged during their meeting earlier this afternoon. ????: Palace @gmanews pic.twitter.com/Oze1RDKQkI
— Trisha Macas (@trishamacas) August 28, 2017
A press release from Malacañang said that the couple paid a courtesy call on Duterte to express their gratitude for the assurance that justice will be served for their son's death.
The photo caption also read that Duterte promised the delos Santos couple non-interference, due process, and fairness in handling their son’s case.
The meeting came two days after the Grade 12 student was buried at La Loma Cemetery in Caloocan City on Saturday.
Before the meeting, Duterte reiterated that he had called up Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa to detain those involved after he saw CCTV footage of policemen dragging Delos Santos.
“Right after, tinawagan ko si Bato, sabihin ko, ‘I-detain mo na ‘yan for murder.’ Nakita ko ‘yung… ang hinihila nila na tao eh. Hindi ako sigurado kung si Kian ‘yun. Pero from the looks of it, it ain’t that way. Hindi ‘yun performance of duty,” he told reporters in San Fernando, Pampanga.
The police reported that Delos Santos, a Grade 12 student, resisted arrest and fought back but witnesses and the CCTV footage said and showed otherwise.
The teenager's death, which triggered massive public outrage and calls for a stop in Duterte's violent drug war, is currently the subject of investigations. —JST, GMA News