MANILA - Chief Inspector Amor Cerillo, former chief of Caloocan City Station 7, blamed 17-year-old Kian delos Santos for his own death, saying the boy should not have involved himself in illegal drug activities.

Cerillo, in his counter-affidavit, also claimed that Delos Santos would still be alive had he not been a drug courier.

"If Kian Loyd delos Santos did not involve himself in the illegal drug activities, then he would not be involved in any 'Oplan Galugad' and he does not need to open fire at our patrolling officers," he said.

He also accused the media and politicians of making a big deal out of Delos Santos' death.

"The media and the grandstanding politicians only twisted the incident involving Kian delos Santos by making it appear that there is a policy of killing in the PNP, but the truth is, there is none," Cerillo claimed.

Cerillo alleged that Delos Santos was not innocent and was involved in the illegal drug trade.

"The problem is that the media and the grandstanding politicians pictured Kian delos Santos before the public as an innocent minor but the truth of the matter is that Kian Loyd delos Santos is indeed a drug courier. This is no longer surprising because it is a public knowledge that minors are being used by criminal syndicates in perpetrating crimes, particularly illegal drug trade," he claimed.

Roberto Fajardo, the Northern Police District chief who was relieved of his duty after the slay, told a Senate hearing there was no specific target in the Aug. 16 operation in Caloocan City.

He claimed that Delos Santos' alleged drug links were known only after the killing. "Yes. We have to check the background. We checked after."

Chito Bersaluna, the former Caloocan police chief also removed after the killing, said Delos Santos could be tied to the drug trade by a recovered cellphone and "based on what came out on social media" after his killing.

Cerillo, along with others charged before the Department of Justice (DOJ) in connection with the killing Delos Santos, submitted their counter-affidavits on Monday, and sought the dismissal of the criminal complaint.

Police earlier claimed they shot Delos Santos because he fought them with a gun, but CCTV footage shows the teen being dragged before he was killed, according to investigators.

Based on autopsy reports, the 17-year-old succumbed to three gunshot wounds: two in the head and one in his back.

The teen's parents have repeatedly denied allegations against their son.

Forensic experts from the Philippine National Police and the Public Attorney's Office both said it was highly likely that Delos Santos was already down on the ground when he was shot dead.

The Prosecution Division of the PNP-Internal Affairs Service (PNP-IAS) said that aside from facing criminal charges, the policemen involved in Delos Santos' death will also go through summary dismissal proceedings.