Actor Jake Ejercito took to social media to remember Kian Delos Santos, the 17-year-old student killed during an anti-drug operation in 2017, following the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte on March 11.
Ejercito shared a photo of Kian on his Instagram Stories, highlighting the teenager’s last words before he was fatally shot by police: “Tama na po! Tama na po! May test pa ako bukas…”
Kian’s death became one of the most controversial cases during Duterte’s administration, as witness testimonies and CCTV footage contradicted the police’s official report. The incident fueled public outrage over the government’s bloody war on drugs, leading to the conviction of three police officers involved in the killing.
Ejercito, who has been vocal about social issues, added a caption to his post: “Ang mali ay may bayad, at ngayon na ang singilan.”
His statement, which translates to “Wrongdoings have a price, and now is the time for accountability,” quickly gained traction online. Netizens flooded the comments with messages of support for Ejercito’s stance:
Kian Delos Santos was shot dead on August 16, 2017, during a police operation in Caloocan City. Authorities initially claimed that he fought back, but CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts refuted this narrative. The footage showed police officers dragging Kian to an alley, where he was later found dead.
In 2018, three officers were convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment for his wrongful death—a rare case of police accountability during Duterte’s controversial anti-drug campaign.
Duterte’s arrest by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) has sparked renewed discussions about the human rights violations committed during his term. His administration’s “war on drugs” resulted in thousands of deaths, many of which were criticized by international human rights groups as extrajudicial killings.
