MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) said an investigation is needed to determine if there had been provocations that occurred resulting in the misencounter between military and police, where four soldiers were shot dead in Jolo, Sulu.
“We know that our soldiers there are also performing their duties. Everybody there in that part of Sulu, all members of the security forces, are there to fight threat of terrorism. We really have to dig deeper on this. We need to know the actual conversations on what really transpired,” PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said over CNN Philippines on Tuesday when asked if there had been an altercation between police and military during the gunfight.
“We have an official report but we are not saying that this is the whole truth. They have to be subjected to a thorough investigation. That is why we will really fully cooperate with the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation),” he added.
The Philippine Army’s Western Mindanao Command asked the NBI to conduct an impartial probe into the shooting incident.
Army Major Gen. Corleto Vinluan, chief of anti-terror joint Task Force Sulu, said the four soldiers were on board a Montero SUV when police officers flagged them down at a checkpoint along Marina Street, Jolo town on Monday afternoon.
The vehicle was about 50 meters from the Jolo police station when one of the soldiers alighted was shot by police officers. Consequently, three other soldiers were also fatally shot.