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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider AFP hits linking of its slain intel agent to illegal drugs

AFP hits linking of its slain intel agent to illegal drugs

Published Aug 20, 2020 05:19 pm

The military on Thursday assailed the Philippine National Police (PNP) for tagging one of its slain intelligence agents in Sulu as involved in illegal drugs activities in Jolo, saying it is a poor attempt to divert the attention away from what it describes as murder of its soldiers.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
(MANILA BULLETIN)

Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said the illegal drugs defense of the local police is an apparent bid to justify the killing of its men who were reportedly gunned down despite being unarmed after being intercepted in a checkpoint in Sulu two months ago.

“That is obviously a desperate attempt by the assailants to besmirch the reputation of Corporal (Abdal) Asula to justify or to divert the attention away from the senseless killing of the soldiers,” said Arevalo in response to the statements made by some PNP officials during a hearing at the Senate on Wednesday.

“The local police are coming up with all sorts of falsities to attempt to shirk criminal, civil, and administrative responsibilities for the murder of the four AFP personnel,” he added.

In June, Sulu policemen intercepted a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) boarding four military intelligence operatives identified as Maj. Marvin Indammong, Capt. Irwin Managuelod, Sgt. Jaime Velasco and Asula.

The local police claimed that they were forced to order the soldiers to go to the Jolo Police Station after they failed to present identification cards proving that they are members of the AFP.  The SUV, however, passed by the police station which prompted the policemen to confront them.

In its first report, the local police claimed that one of the soldiers tried to point a gun at them which allegedly prompted the local police to shoot him and the rest of the soldiers inside the vehicle.

But witnesses and the investigation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation contradicted the statement of the local police, saying Indammong was unarmed when he was shot by the cops.

During the Senate investigation, the PNP presented a supposed drug matrix showing that Asula was involved in the illegal drugs trade as his relatives were into selling drugs. Some of the relatives of Asula were reportedly arrested while Asula’s brother was killed in a shootout with cops in March this year.

But the AFP would not buy the PNP’s defense.

”The police earlier invoked self-defense even if investigation by the NBI and eye-witness accounts clearly testify that there was no unlawful aggression or sufficient provocation to warrant the shooting,” said Arevalo.

“And now, the vilification of one of the slain soldiers,” he added.

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