PNP tracking down 9 ex-cops in Jolo shooting

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 22, 2021): PNP tracking down 9 ex-cops in Jolo shooting (By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan)

PNP chief, Gen. Debold Sinas. (File photo)

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has formed tracker teams to trace the whereabouts of the nine dismissed police officers implicated in the fatal shooting of four Army intelligence operatives last year.

"Meron na kaming mga trackers na in-organize at kasama doon sa trackers, of course yung negotiation approach para lumabas sila ng kusa para mapabilis ang pag surrender nila (We already have tracker teams organized and along with those tracker teams is our negotiation approach to expedite their surrender)," PNP chief, Gen. Debold Sinas, said in a television interview on Thursday night.

He added that the Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO BAR) has already served the arrest warrants to the homes of the suspects in Jolo, Sulu.

Sinas added that if these former police operatives believe they are innocent, they should surrender immediately to clear their names.

"Mas maganda na sumurender na sila kasi may instructions naman talaga na hulihin sila at sana hindi sila mag resist para wala pong mangyari (It would be better if they voluntarily surrender as we have instructions to arrest them on sight and hopefully they would not resist if that happens)," the PNP chief added.

Sinas also said he believes that the nine former police officers are still in Jolo.

Last Jan. 12, the nine cops were released by the PNP due to the absence of arrest warrants despite the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) request to keep them in custody.

Sinas also announced the suspects' dismissal from service before they were released from the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame.

Last week, the Jolo Regional Trial Court ordered the arrest of the nine police officers -- Senior M/Sgt. Abdelzhimar Padjiri; M/Sgt. Hanie Baddiri; S/Sgt. Iskandar Susulan; S/Sgt. Ernisar Sappal; Cpl. Sulki Andaki; Pat. Moh Nur Pasani; S/Sgt. Almudzrin Hadjaruddin; Pat. Alkajal Mandangan; on charges of murder and planting of evidence.

No bail was recommended for their temporary liberty.

Killed in the June 29, 2020 incident were Maj. Marvin A. Indammog, 39; Capt. Irwin B. Managuelod, 33; Sgt. Jaime M. Velasco, 38, and Cpl. Abdal Asula, 33.

The four soldiers were conducting intelligence and monitoring operations against two suspected suicide bombers when gunned down by the nine Jolo police officers.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1128219