Policemen who did not fire their guns during the Jolo shooting of four Army intelligence officers are still not in the clear, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said on Saturday, July 11.
NBI Deputy Director for Forensic Investigation Services Ferdinand Lavin pointed this out after four out the nine policemen tagged in the killing tested positive for gunpowder nitrates following paraffin tests.
About those who tested negative for gunpowder nitrates, Lavin said, “That doesn’t mean na na-clear na sila sa criminal liability (This doesn’t mean they have been cleared of criminal liability).”
The nine policemen tagged in the June 29 killing were identified as Senior Master Sergeant Abdelzhimar Padjiri; Master Sergeant Hanie Baddiri; Staff Sergeant Iskandar Susulan; Staff Sergeant Ernisar Sappal; Corporal Sulki Andaki; Patrolman Moh. Nur Pasani; Staff Sergeant Almudzrin Hadjaruddin; and Patrolmen Alkajal Mandangan and Rajiv Putalan.
That day, Army intelligence Officers Major Arvin Indamog, Captain Irwin Managuelod, Sergeant Eric Velasco and Corporal Abdal Asula were aboard a sports utility vehicle conducting surveillance operations when they were accosted by policemen at a checkpoint.
Though the four victims identified themselves as soldiers and agreed to submit themselves for verification, they were allegedly fired upon and killed.
Lavin said the NBI’s Western Mindanao Regional Office (NBI-WEMRO), which is conducting the investigation, is already in possession of a video footage of the incident.
“We have to do some authentication and validation before we take it as a piece of evidence,” the spokesman said.
As to witnesses, Lavin said they have already gathered seven individuals including two soldiers who served as sweepers when the shooting incident took place.