Military agents shot in the back – DOJ

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra. (File photo by Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — Three of the four Army intelligence officers who were killed by policemen in Jolo, Sulu province, late last month were shot on the back many times, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said on Tuesday.

Guevarra cited a field report submitted by the National Bureau of Investigation, which contained the findings of forensic and ballistic experts and testimonies from 10 witnesses, plus the sworn statements from families of the slain soldiers.

“The ballistic report clearly indicated that the shells and slugs found at the scene of the crime matched the firearms of the police officers involved,” Guevarra said on Tuesday.

“The bullet wounds were mostly [on] the back of the body, with one soldier sustaining eight wounds,” he added.

The two other Army officers had three wounds each, “but all of them sustained bullet wounds in their backs,” according to Guevarra.

The justice chief did not name the three slain intelligence agents.

Maj. Marvin Indammog, who is from Kalinga province, led the intelligence group. With him in a sport utility vehicle (SUV) were Capt. Irwin Managuelod from Batangas province, Sgt. Jaime Velasco from Manila and Cpl. Abdal Asula from Jolo.

The nine police officers involved in the shooting were disarmed and placed under custody of the Philippine National Police at Camp Crame, Quezon City.

They were identified as Senior Master Sergeants Abdelzhimar Padjiri and Hanie Baddiri; Staff Sergeants Iskandar Susulan, Ernisar Sappal and Almudzrin Hadjaruddin; Cpl. Sulki Andaki; and Patrolmen Mohammad Nur Pasani, Alkajal Mandangan and Rajiv Putalan.

According to Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, the PNP spokesperson, they will be presented to the NBI for questioning on Wednesday morning.

The officers would remain under police custody and would be immediately returned to Camp Crame from the NBI to “wait for further schedule or instructions,” Banac said in a text message.

‘Misencounter’

Indammog’s group was on the trail of Abu Sayyaf bomb maker Mundi Sawaadjan and two female bombers when they were stopped at a police checkpoint on June 29.

Indammog identified himself as an Army officer. Despite this, he and his men were told to proceed to the Jolo police station.

Near the station, Indammog got out of the SUV for still unknown reasons. Moments later, he was shot.

The police shot the three others and abandoned the area.

A police report said the soldiers had drawn their weapons but were beaten to the trigger by the police. The PNP first described the incident as a “misencounter,” which the Army had strongly objected to, saying the soldiers, being intelligence personnel on a clandestine operation, were then unarmed.

Army chief Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay called the killing “a rubout” and a “murder.”