PNP-IAS teams up with Napolcom in probe of Sulu shooting incident

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police Internal Affairs Service (PNP-IAS) on Wednesday said it would be working with the National Police Commission (Napolcom) in investigating the fatal shooting of four soldiers by policemen in Jolo, Sulu.

“Admin aspect lang concern namin. Pare-pareho kaya magtulungan na hindi mag kanya-kanya,” PNP-IAS chief Lawyer Alfegar Triambulo told reporters in a text message when asked if Napolcom and the PNP’s Internal Affairs will be conducting separate probes into the Sulu shooting incident.

(We are concerned about the admin aspect. It is just the same so we will have to team up and we will not do this separately.)

Triambulo said he ordered lawyer Romegildo Alocelja Jr., Regional Internal Affairs Service (RIAS) director in the Bangsamoro Administrative Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM),  to team up with Napolcom even as an initial report on the Jolo, Sulu incident was already finished.

“We acted already kasi nasa mandate ng IAS to conduct motu proprio [on its own] investigation sa mga incident katulad nyan. In fact, our RIAS BARMM may initial report sa incident as of yesterday,” he said.

(We acted already because it is the IAS’ mandate to conduct motu proprio investigation for incidents like this. In fact, our RIAS BARMM has an initial report in the incident as of yesterday.)

“I instructed Atty. Alocelja, RIAS director to team up with director ng Napolcom doon at ang PRO (Police Regional Office) BARMM kasi medyo hindi ordinary ang incident,” the IAS director added.

(I instructed Atty. Alocelja, RIAS director to team up with director ng Napolcom and PRO BARMM because this is not an ordinary incident.)

On Tuesday, PNP chief Archie Gamboa said nine police officers assigned at Jolo police station were involved in the death of four military intelligence personnel.

The National Bureau of Investigation also launched an impartial probe into the Jolo shooting incident.

/MUF