MANILA, Philippines — The prosecution’s preliminary investigation into the police’s shooting of for soldiers in Jolo in late June, may be terminated in October, a Department of Justice official said.
Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon said Thursday that “barring any extensions and any unforeseen cause for delay,” the complaint filed against the Jolo cops may be submitted for resolution this month.
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The National Bureau of Investigation, personally tapped by President Rodrigo Duterte to conduct an impartial probe into the incident, filed murder and planting of evidence complaints against nine police personnel.
Jolo police chief and two other Sulu police officials face separate raps for gross negligence.
Fadullon said the respondents filed their counter-affidavits late in September, but they expect the NBI to file a Reply and the respondents to submit a Rejoinder.
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 said the Jolo cops “simultaneously attacked the victims who were not given the opportunity to defend themselves.” The bureau also said that the rifle recovered in the hand of one of the victims was planted.
RELATED: NBI: One soldier in Jolo incident with police shot eight times
The DOJ formed a four-member panel of prosecutors, led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Gilmarie Fe Pacamarra, to handle the preliminary investigation into the complaint. — Kristine Joy Patag