Now PNP says what happened in Jolo was ‘shooting incident’ not ‘misencounter’
MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said Wednesday that he stands by the police report on the death of four soldiers in Jolo, Sulu, although now calling the June 29 event a “shooting incident” and not a “misencounter.”
“Batay sa pag-review ng police report, na naunang narelease na, nakita natin na ‘yung umanong report na pag-amba ng mga baril sa ating mga pulis, ang siyang naging dahilan kung bakit nagpaputok ang mga pulis. Pinagmabuti natin na i-clarify na ito ay shooting incident at hindi matatawag na encounter or misencounter. Ito ay shooting incident na involving our Jolo police,” Banac said in an interview over dzBB.
(Based on the review of the police report, we saw the alleged report on gun-pointing at our policemen, which prompted policemen to fire. We made sure to clarify that this is a shooting incident and that we cannot call this an encounter or a misencounter. This is a shooting incident involving our Jolo police.)
On Tuesday, Banac called what happened in Jolo between PNP members and Philippine Army intelligence men as “misencounter,” saying the involved police officers were not able to properly identify the soldiers, who were consequently shot to death.
Nevertheless, the police official said the truth will come out after an impartial probe is conducted. The National Bureau of Investigation was tasked to carry out the investigation.
READ: ‘Saddened’ Duterte orders NBI to hasten probe on Sulu incident
Article continues after this advertisement“Malalaman natin ang katotohanan at kung sino ang may sala. Kung ito ay aabot sa filing of charges, so be it,” Banac said.
Article continues after this advertisement(We will know the truth and those who committed the crime. If this will lead to the filing of charges, so be it.)
Banac said the nine policemen involved in the incident were already relieved and disarmed, and that they are under restrictive custody of the Sulu police provincial office.
KGA
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