MANILA -- Former PNP chief and Sen. Ronaldo “Bato” dela Rosa defended Monday his statements in 2017 linking Kian delos Santos’ father to illegal drugs, but said he could not recall linking Kian's uncle to narcotics.

Speaking before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee panel on the war on drugs, Randy delos Santos, uncle of Kian, detailed how their entire family was endangered after Dela Rosa, then chief of the Philippine National Police, accused Kian of being a drug courier for his father and uncle.

Kian’s murder in August 16, 2016 gained nationwide attention after CCTV footage debunked police claims that Kian had pulled a gun and fought back against the police, which led to the shooting.

Witnesses said police had blindfolded and beat up Kian before he was shot.

In an interview in 2017, Dela Rosa said he had information from the intelligence community that Delos Santos’ father was a neighborhood toughie and had used Kian to carry drugs.

"Si Kian ay ginagamit ng kanyang ama. Ang ama niya mismo ang user, mga uncle ang mga pusher diyan at ginagamit si Kian na courier. Kaya nag-surface ang pangalan niya sa area mismo," the PNP chief told ABS-CBN News in a phone interview.

"Pati ang intelligence community natin na nagko-conduct ng operation plan sa Caloocan mismo, ang mga kapitbahay doon takot mismo na magsalita ng against sa kanila dahil kilalang siga ang ama pati mga uncle niyan, siga sa lugar. Yan ang nasasagap ng ating mga intel operatives diyan sa area," he added.

FROM 2017: Kian was 'drug courier' for dad, uncles -- Dela Rosa

During Monday’s hearing, dela Rosa expressed his condolences to the delos Santos family but said he does not recall linking Randy delos Santos to the illegal drug trade

He said police officers involved in Kian’s death told him that a drug suspect had linked Kian’s family to illegal drugs, claiming that drugs were being picked up in the family’s sari-sari store without Kian’s knowledge.

“Dinadaan sa tindahan…si Kian nagbabantay sa tindahan, walang alam kung droga. Nadamay si Kian. 'Eh bakit niyo binaril?' Hindi nila masagot,” he said.

He said police claimed that it was Kian’s father linked to the drug trade, pointing out Zaldy delos Santos’ lack of teeth as “evidence” that he was a drug addict.

“Tunaw na tunaw ‘yung panga, tunaw na tunaw ‘yung ngipin. User ‘yan, sir, sabi ng police operative sa Caloocan. Kung involved 'yung uncle, hindi ko na maalala...I hope this body can be enlightened,” the senator said.

READ: 3 cops found guilty of murder over Kian Delos Santos slay

FIRED FROM HIS JOB, BROTHER SUFFERS STROKE 

In his testimony, Randy delos Santos debunked the ex-PNP chief’s claims, saying they were known in the community not as drug pushers but Jehovah’s Witnesses.

“Totoo po na kilala kami pero hindi mga siga kundi mga Saksi ni Jehovah, kumakatok at nagbabahay-bahay at nagabahagi ng salita ng Diyos,” he said.

He then asked Sen. Robin Padilla to testify to the character of Jehovah’s Witnesses, saying the senator’s mother was a member of the religious group.

Padilla later confirmed that Jehovah’s Witnesses are non-political. “Never silang na-involve sa pulitika,” he said. 

Randy said Dela Rosa’s “malicious and erroneous” accusation affected their entire family, especially after they were identified on national TV as drug pushers.

He said he was fired from his job after being linked to drugs while his brother was placed under the witness protection program.

“Inalis po ako sa trabaho. May mga magulang ako at may mga anak ako… Baka kami na ang isunod. Ang aking kapatid ay dinala sa witness protection program. Naiwan po ako sa labas. Takot po ako dahil markado na ho ako,” he said.

Delos Santos is now a field coordinator for Project Paghilom, which helps families of 312 victims of extrajudicial killings.

He noted that of the 312 killings, not one had been investigated by police “after families allegedly signed affidavits saying they were no longer interested in filing charges against the police.” 

Some of the victims even had death certificates stating that they “died of natural causes,” he said. Autopsies of the victims’ remains including those of Kian’s, conducted by Project Arise, even years after their deaths have shed light on how they died.

Delos Santos said their family has yet to achieve full justice for Kian’s killing especially after the three police officers were acquitted from charges of planting of evidence including firearms and drugs.

He said the convicted have yet to pay damages awarded by the court to their family including P100,000 as civil indemnity, P145,000 in moral and actual damages and P100,000 in exemplary damages.

Delos Santos said his brother later had a stroke after the trial. “Kalahati ng katawan niya lantang gulay,” he said.

Delos Santos said those who covered Kian’s wake could attest that he was innocent of the accusations made by the police. Relatives and friends all spoke well of Kian, he said, and denied that he was involved in narcotics.

“Wala ho siya sa listahan. Hindi ho siya nagbebenta ng droga. Inosente po at nag-aaral po sa isang pribadong paaralan,” he said.