Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday renewed her call for the Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership to temporarily relieve the entire Jolo, Sulu police force as authorities delve deeper into their involvement in the shooting of four soldiers last June.
Hontiveros made the call as she welcomed the filing of administrative charges against the nine police officers who gunned down four military operatives at a checkpoint in Jolo last June 29.
The PNP-Internal Affairs Service (PNP-IAS) has also charged three top police officials of Sulu for gross neglect of duty under the doctrine of command responsibility in connection to the killing.
“We welcome the filing of administrative charges against the Philippine National Police (PNP) officers linked to the murder of four Philippine Army operatives last June 29, 2020 as an important step forward in achieving justice not only for the fallen soldiers, but also for the 14 people killed in the twin bombing incidents in Jolo last August 24,” Hontiveros said.
“Authorities investigating these two incidents should be provided a free rein so they could conduct an impartial, comprehensive, and independent investigation,” the senator said.
“This is why I continue to call on the PNP leadership to temporarily relieve the entire Jolo, Sulu police force,” she added.
Hontiveros said the four military intelligence operatives were tracking two female suicide bombers whom authorities later said allegedly carried out the deadly explosions in Jolo last August.
“Malalim ang koneksyon ng dalawang insidente na ito. Kailangan ang kumpleto at walang cover-up na imbestigasyon para malaman natin kung ano ang nangyari, sino ang may pakana, at mapigilan ang ganyang klaseng karahasan sa hinaharap (The connection between these two incidents is deep. It needs a complete investigation that is free from any cover-up for us to know what really happened, who instigated it, and to prevent such violence from happening again in the future),” she said.
She said, doing so will ease the public’s anxiety and end any speculations that terrorists have penetrated the country’s police force.
“I urge the PNP to undertake all necessary measures that will build back public confidence in our national police force after such a troubling event,” the lawmaker said.