Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said Sunday government prosecutors will move for speedy trial of policemen who will be charged for the murder of four Army intelligence officers in Jolo, Sulu last June.
(TOTO LOZANO / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
“The Department of Justice (DoJ) will ensure the speedy trial of the Jolo case and obtain justice for the slain army soldiers,” he said.
DoJ investigating prosecutors are expected to come out this month with their resolution on the case filed last July by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for the killing of Army intelligence men Major Marvin Indammog, Capt. Irwin Managuelod, Sgt. Jaime Velasco Jr., and Corporal Abdal Asula.
Named respondents in the killings were Police Senior Master Sgt. Abelzhimar Padjiri, Police Master Sgt. Hannie Baddiri, Police Staff Sergeants Iskandar Susulan and Erniskar Sappal, Police Corporal Sulki Andaki, and Police Patrolman Moh Nur Pasani – all of the Jolo municipal police – and Police Staff Sergeant Almudzrin Hadjaruddin, Police Patrolman Alkajal Mandangan, and Police Patrolman Rajiv Putalan – all of the Sulu Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU).
Also, the NBI recommended the filing of neglect of duty against Sulu Police Provincial Director Police Col. l Michael Bayawan Jr., PDEU-Sulu chief Police Capt. Ariel Corcino, and Jolo Municipal Police Station chief Police Major Walter Annayo.
The NBI, in filing the charges before the DoJ, said:
“After a thorough perusal of the records of this case, we are convinced that the evidence presented amply demonstrates that the victims were killed and that the nine police officers killed them.
“We also agree that the failure of the Sulu police provincial director, PDEU chief, and the Jolo chief of police to inform their subordinates of the active operation by military constitutes gross negligence under the doctrine of command responsibility defined in Executive Order No. 226.
“In this case, the failure of the above-named offices resulted in the death of the four members of the Philippine Army.”