SEN.RISA HONTIVEROS NOT TO VISIT WAKE OF 9 MONTHS PREGNANT WOMAN KILLED BY 16-YEAR OLD DRUG SUSPECT

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Saturday, August 20 visited the wake of Kian Loyd delos Santos, the 17-year-old Grade 11 student who was killed during an Oplan Galugad operation in Barangay 160, in Caloocan City last Wednesday night. However, she is not set to visit the wake of a pregnant woman who was killed by a 16-year old drug suspect.

"Ang buong bansa, galit. Pinatay dahil nanlaban? Paano tayo humantong sa ganito? Siguro itanong natin sa mga sarili natin, ganito ba tayo bilang mga Pilipino? Hayok sa dugo na ok lang sating may mga mabiktimang disisyete anyos na katulad ni Kian? Sen. Hontiveros said in a statement, shortly after her visit at Kian's wake.

"I am here to accord full protection and security to the family and to the witnesses, to provide whatever legal service is needed. We will unearth the truth. We will fight for justice for Kian, and for those whose lives were abruptly ended by this abusive and corrupt war-on-drugs. This ends here. Pinatay dahil nanlaban? Puwes, tayo ngayon ay lalaban." She added.

Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, also called for an independent and impartial investigation on the case. However, the Liberal Party (LP) ally senator will not visit the wake of Jizelle Duay, the pregnant woman who was shot dead in Barangay Payatas, Quezon City, also last Wednesday.

According to reports, Duay, who is nine months pregnant was with her live-in partner Mark James Mendevilla, when the 16-year old suspect shot her using a shotgun and even hacked them. Initial investigation revealed that the Mendevilla owes P400 from the suspect, as payment for the drugs he bought from them. The baby inside Duay's womb also died.

When Sen.Hontiveros was asked if she will also visit Duay's wake, she did not respond as if she did not hear the question. But before she left Delos Santos' wake, her staff told reporters that she cannot come because of her hectic schedule. However, she said that the Liberal Party (LP) ally senator also sympathize with the family, and will pray for them.