MANILA, Philippines – The Caloocan City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 122 has issued warrants of arrest against two local cops charged charged with the murder and torture of teenagers Carl Arnaiz and Reynaldo “Kulot” de Guzman, in what is called a case of extrajudicial killing in the war on drugs.

The court issued the warrants against Police Officer (PO) 1 Jeffrey Perez and PO1 Ricky Arquilita for the charges of murder, torture, planting of drug evidence and planting of firearms evidence.

The warrants of arrest were dated January 23. No bail was recommended.

“They planned and committed all the crimes with a common desire to eliminate their subjects. They even portrayed that the death of Carl Angelo was the product of a shoot-out in a legitimate police/hot pursuit in order to cover up the intended killings of Carl Angelo and Reynaldo ‘Kulot,'” the Department of Justice (DOJ) said when it indicted the cops.

The DOJ dismissed murder charges against against taxi driver Tomas Bagcal, who was allegedly “held up” by Arnaiz before the boy went missing.

Arnaiz and De Guzman both went missing while on their way to Cainta, Rizal in August 2017. Arnaiz’s body was later found by his family in a morgue. 

After news of Arnaiz’ killing broke, De Guzman was found dead with 30 stab wounds in a creek in Nueva Ecija.

The deaths of Arnaiz and De Guzman, as well as the killing of another teenager, 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos, triggered more intense criticism against President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody anti-drug campaign. (READ: The Impunity Series) – Rappler.com