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The Philippine National Police (PNP) announced on Saturday the firing of the nine police officers involved in the killing of four Army officers in Jolo, Sulu, in June 2020.
Photo by: J. Gerard Seguia The remains of the three Army intelligence officers who were killed by police during an alleged misconduct in Jolo, Sulu, arrive at Villamor Air Force Base in Pasay City on Tuesday afternoon. The bodies of Sgt. Jaime M. Velasco Jr., Major Marvin A. Indammog, and Captain Irwin B. Managuelod received military honors upon arrival at VAB.
PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas approved the removal of the nine police officers with immediate effect, PNP spokesman BGen said. Ildebrandi Usana has confirmed that these police officers would be fired within 10 days.
“They have been notified of the dismissal order, which is immediately enforceable despite the presentation of the motion for reconsideration on their part as a matter of paperwork,” Usana said in a text message.
The PNP will send a notice to the National Investigation Office to proceed separately with the criminal case against the policemen, Usana added.
“We are awaiting any developments on the criminal aspect of his case in court,” he said.
All nine respondents are SMS. Abdelzhimar Padjiri, MSg. Hanie Baddiri, SSg. Iskandar Susulan, SSg. Ernisar Sappal, Cpl. Sulki Andaki and Pat. Medical officer. Nur Pasani, all members of the Jolo Municipal Police Station; and SSg. Almudzrin Hadjaruddin, Pat. Alkajal Mandangan and Pat. Rajiv Putalan from the Sulu Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit.
Currently, the nine police officers remain in the restrictive custody of the Headquarters Support Service (HSS).
“However, the HSS can recommend the temporary release of the dismissed police officers so that they can return home to their families under the restrictive surveillance of the authorities,” Usana explained.
According to Sinas, the PNP informed the Department of Justice investigation panel that if arrest warrants are not issued against the nine PNP defendants within 10 days, the police officers will be handed over to their families.
“At most, we can only place them in restrictive custody, pending indictment on criminal charges. After their dismissal from service, the PNP no longer has jurisdiction over them and, as such, it no longer has the basis to keep them in restrictive custody, ”Sinas said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Delfín Lorenzana welcomed the PNP’s decision.
“However, we also sympathize with the families of these nine dismissed police officers, who are facing long prison terms. Their families are as much victims of the incident as the families of the soldiers who died, ”Lorenzana said in a statement.
Lorenzana hopes that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the PNP will learn from the Jolo incident.
The police and the army must take “concrete measures” to prevent similar incidents from happening again, Lorenzana said.
On the other hand, Marine Infantry General Edgard Arévalo, a spokesman for AFP, said that the decision to fire the nine policemen was a “welcome development.”
“The AFP will incessantly monitor the development of this case. We will ensure that justice is done for the hapless victims, who were killed while fulfilling their solemn duty, ”Arevalo said in a statement.
On June 29, 2020, police officers killed four army officers, Major Marvin Indammog, 39; Captain Irwin Managuelod, 33; Sergeant. Jaime Velasco, 38; and Cpl. Abdal Asula, 33, who was dressed in civilian clothes because he carried out intelligence and surveillance operations against suspected suicide bombers.
The army denied police reports that a shooting took place between the groups.
Former Jolo Police Chief Cpt. Walter Annayo was shot and killed in Maguindanao after he was fired and transferred to another post.
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