MANILA, Philippines — The two police officers tagged in the killing of a police official in Parang, Maguindanao del Norte early this month have tested positive for gunpowder, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported yesterday.
M/Sgts. Aladdin Ramalan and Shariff Balading had traces of gunpowder on their hands, PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil said, citing paraffin test results.
Capt. Roland Moralde, an administrative officer of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police’s Regional Mobile Force Battalion, was shot dead when he tried to disarm Mohaliden Untal, whom he caught brandishing a firearm at a public market on May 2.
Aside from Ramalan and Balading, three civilians were implicated in the shooting.
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos and Marbil visited the wake of Moralde at the PNP Mortuary at Camp Crame yesterday.
Abalos posthumously promoted Moralde to the rank of major as he condoled with the slain police official’s family.
The PNP had earlier presented Moralde’s Medalya ng Kadakilaan or PNP Heroism Medal to his widow.
Abalos said the police officers involved in Moralde’s killing would face the full force of the law.