Guilty verdict on ex-cop in Carl, Kulot killing proof justice system working —Acosta

The conviction of dismissed cop Jeffrey Sumbo Perez over the killing of teenagers Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Reynaldo "Kulot" De Guzman proves the country’s justice system is “operational,” the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) said Tuesday.

In Sandra Aguinaldo’s report on “24 Oras,” PAO chief Persida Acosta hailed the Navotas Regional Trial Court decision, sentencing Perez with reclusion perpetua without eligibility for parole for the death of Arnaiz, 19, and De Guzman, 14.

Perez was also ordered to pay Arnaiz’s kin P390,000 and de Guzman’s family P300,000.

“Dyan po tatanda sa kulungan itong si Jeffrey Perez, two counts of murder ang hinaharap nya. Meron pa siyang isang planting of evidence,” Acosta said.

(Perez will grow old inside the prison because he is facing two counts of murder and one count of planting evidence.)

“Ang stand namin ay operational ang ating legal system...So operational lahat kaya  hindi naman sinasanto ng gobyerno kung sino man ang pulis na magmamalabis,” she said.  (Our stand here is that this proves the legal system is working. Everything is operational and the government is not tolerating abusive cops.)

To recall, Arnaiz was killed by Caloocan police officers on August 18, 2017, with authorities saying he had staged a hold-up against a taxi driver.

De Guzman, Arnaiz’s friend, was later found dead with around 28 stab wounds on his body in Gapan, Nueva Ecija, his head wrapped in packaging tape.

Aside from Perez, another police officer was accused in connection with the killings, PO1 Ricky Arquilita. He died while in detention in April 2019.

The court dismissed the case against Arquilita following his demise "without prejudice to the resolution... on the issue of conspiracy between Accused Arquilita and Accused Perez."—Sundy Locus/LDF, GMA Integrated News