MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday filed murder and planting of evidence complaint against nine cops involved in the fatal shooting of four Army intelligence soldiers in Jolo, Sulu in late June.
ONE News reported that the NBI submitted its report to the Department of Justice recommending preliminary investigation for a murder and planting of evidence complaint against the nine police personnel. They are:
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The shooting incident happened on June 29. Four soldiers of the Philippine Army were gathering intelligence on suicide bombers linked to the Abu Sayyaf group when they were supposedly stopped and later shot by the nine. The victims were identified as Maj. Marvin Indamog, Capt. Irwin Managuelod, Sgt. Eric Velasco and Cpl. Abdal Asula.
The NBI submitted to the Department of Justice its recommendation, including filing of murder and planting of evidence charges, against the nine Sulu police officers involved in the shooting that killed four soldiers. (via @News5AKSYON / @mariannenriquez) pic.twitter.com/LgXGGfY300
— ONE News PH (@onenewsph) July 21, 2020
President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the NBI to conduct an impartial probe into the matter after two vastly different accounts were given by the two parties, with the police initially labelling it as a “misencounter.”
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The NBI said that witnesses disclosed that the police officers alighted from their patrol car “while their rifle already pointed at the [soldiers’] Montero, and strategically positioned themselves around it.”
“The [nine] police officers simultaneously attacked the victims who were not given the opportunity to defend themselves. While some of the police officers did not fire their issued firearms, CCTV footages and eyewitnesses’ accounts clearly demonstrates [sic] that they executed overt acts that constitute as moral assistance to the police officers who actually fired [at] the victims,” the report read.
The NBI also said they recommend charging the cops with planting of evidence following witnesses’ accounts that Indammog did not carry a firearm when he alighted their vehicle.
“Based on the additional pieces of evidence, it could be concluded that the rifle recovered near his left hand was indeed planted,” the bureau said.
Negligence of duty
The NBI said that during their probe, they found out that the Army’s operation “was properly coordinated to the members of the [Joint Task Force Sulu].”
“We also agree that the failure of the Sulu Police Provincial Director, PDEU Chief and Jolo Chief of Police to inform their subordinates of the active operation by military constitutes Gross Negligence under the Doctrine of Command Responsibility,” the bureau said.
They are PCol. Michael Bawayan Jr., Sulu Provincial Police Office chief; PMaj. Walter Annayo, head of the Jolo Municipal Police Station and PCpt. Ariel Corcino of the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit. — Kristine Joy Patag with report from ONE News/Marianne Enriquez