The killing of four officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Jolo, Sulu appeared to have been planned and intentional, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said.
The NBI stated this during the hearing on the incident conducted by the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs chaired by Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa. The NBI observed that the police officers involved in the shooting incident “strategically surrounded” the Montero sport that was used by Major Marvin Indamog, one of the soldiers who died in the incident.
“The way they positioned themselves on all sides of the Montero, one at the back, the others moving to the left side, as though surveying the vehicle, then another one actually opening the right door…based on the statement of witnesses, napalibutan po sila (they were surrounded),” said Zulikha Marie Degamo of the NBI death investigation division during the hearing.
Degamo also said that the empty shells that were recovered from the scene of the shooting appeared to have come from bullets fired from firearms used by four out of the nine police officers involved in the incident.
Indamog and three other soldiers were tracking suicide bombers in the area when the police officers flagged them down in Barangay Walled City on June 29, after having identified themselves as members of the military.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gilbert Gapay, who was the Philippine Army Commanding General at the time of the incident said, “That (incident) is a very aggravating circumstance...On the part of the Armed Forces, we urge for the immediate filing of murder, planting of evidence and neglect of duty as recommended by NBI at the proper courts, immediately.”
Gapay deplored that the initial police report was “full of inconsistencies and misleading.” “That’s why, right there and then,” he pointed out, “we requested NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) to assist in the investigation because dun pa lang sa spot report, we are feeling that we will not get an impartial investigation on this case.”
According to Gapay, the AFP finds the case “very unique,” considering that the coordination between the AFP and the PNP, in almost all other aspects in law enforcement has been very effective and their coordination is very close.
“But for this particular operation, bakit ganito ang nangyari? (why did this happen?) There’s something wrong here,” he pointed out.
“That's why, if we file this in court, we are also hoping that the real motive, intent, of the killing of the four Army personnel, the truth shall come up.
“Nag speculate tayo baka may drug angle diyan, okey sige baka nga may drug angle diyan. Or baka may nasagasaan din ang tropa namin. Di natin alam so those are mere speculation. Or baka may nag-utos niyan na, na tirahin na yan, projectin nyo (We speculated there could be a drug angle here, or someone could have held a grudge against our troops. We don’t know so those are mere speculations. Or there could have been people who ordered to have them killed). Those are mere speculation,” he said.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Archie Gamboa, who was also at the hearing, said the nine policemen that were involved in the incident cannot be arrested and detained since there is still no case filed before the courts and no arrest warrant has been issued against them.
“These nine officers have not even been charged in court yet. There are no warrants of arrest that are being issued. And there are no commitment orders that are yet to be issued,” said Gamboa, who was also present at the hearing.
“And I hope that the NBI would attest to that…If these facts are true and that they have been charged in court, and there is a commitment order and there is a warrant of arrest, then we would be glad to turn them over to the court that has jurisdiction over the case,” Gamboa said.
For their alleged involvement in the June 29 shooting, the NBI had earlier filed four counts of murder and planting of evidences against the following: Police Senior Master Sergeant Abdelzhimar H Padjiri, Police Master Sergeant Hanie U. Baddiri, Police Staff Sergeant Iskandar I. Susulan, Police Staff Sergeant Ernisar P. Sappal, Police Corporal Sulki M. Andaki, Patrolman Mohammad Nur E. Pasani, Police Staff Sergeant Almudzrin M. Hadjaruddin, Patrolman Alkajal J. Mandangan and Patrolman Rajiv G. Putalan.
The agency also recommended the filing of complaint for neglect of duty against Sulu provincial police chief Police Colonel Michael Bawayan, Jolo police chief Police Major Walter Annayo, and Sulu Provincial Drugs Enforcement Unit chief Police Captain Ariel Corcino.
During the hearing, Mandangan admitted he fired at Indamog, saying he had to protect his life. According to Padjiri, Indamog alighted from the vehicle with an M4 rifle.
But when Dela Rosa asked him to identify who fired the shots first, Mandangan said he could not ascertain who was the first to fire at the soldiers. Padjiri also denied that police planted the rifle on Indamog.
The NBI, however, said witnesses testified that Indamog was unarmed and even raised his hands when he alighted the vehicle in a bid to show proof he was not carrying any weapon.
“That's why we are asking, requesting that these cases be filed in court para lumabas na ang totoo (so the truth will come out). Kasi (because) we find this very unusual, very unique,” Gapay reiterated.