The Court of Appeals (CA) has affirmed the conviction of former Caloocan police officer Jefrey Perez in connection with the 2017 deaths of teenagers Carl Arnaiz and Reynaldo “Kulot” de Guzman, rejecting his appeal and upholding earlier rulings for torture and planting of evidence.
In a decision dated April 10 and penned by Associate Justice Eduardo Ramos Jr., the CA upheld the Caloocan Regional Trial Court’s 2022 verdict sentencing Perez to reclusion perpetua and two life sentences without parole. The ruling also cited the “last seen alive principle,” which linked Perez directly to the victims’ deaths, and stressed the broader need for police reform and judicial accountability.
Arnaiz, 19, was a former class valedictorian who had been admitted to the University of the Philippines. De Guzman, 14, worked odd jobs to support his schooling in Pasig City. The two were last seen alive on August 17, 2017, in the custody of Perez.
A witness testified seeing Arnaiz in handcuffs, begging for his life before he was shot. De Guzman’s body was later found in Gapan, Nueva Ecija, with multiple stab wounds.
The CA also reduced the damages awarded to the victims’ families. Arnaiz’s family will receive P50,000 in moral and exemplary damages, while De Guzman’s family is to be awarded P75,000. A 6 percent annual interest on the awarded damages will apply from the date the judgment becomes final.
The appellate court concluded by emphasizing that the justice system must protect vulnerable citizens and that “public peace is never predicated on the cost of human life.” Perez remains permanently barred from holding public office.