CHILD Rights Network welcomes the decision recently issued by the Navotas Regional Trial Court Branch 287 that found former policeman Jeffrey Perez guilty of killing teenagers Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Reynaldo "Kulot" De Guzman. Perez was sentenced to the penalty of reclusion perpetua, without eligibility for parole.
At this point, child rights advocates want to highlight two points: First, the pursuit of justice – no matter how difficult – will never be an exercise in futility. We note that the recent decision is only the second conviction of policemen involved in brutal killings of youth and children under the former Duterte administration’s anti-illegal drugs campaign. The first conviction involved the case of Kian delos Santos back in 2018.
Second, the pursuit of justice and accountability will definitely not end here. We vow to continue the quest for justice for all the victims of the anti-illegal drugs campaign and immediately end the killings that victimized hundreds of Filipino children. Data from the Children’s Legal Rights and Development Center show that at least 150 children have been killed in the six-year anti-illegal drugs campaign under the past Duterte administration.
Let us continue in our quest for justice and the safety of Filipino children. (PR)
