PNP probes killing of police chief who was charged over Jolo shooting

FILE — Philippine National Police (PNP) Lt. Col. Walter Annayo, who was relieved as police chief of Jolo, Sulu following the fatal shooting of four Army soldiers last June 29, 2020, testifies before the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs hybrid hearing Wednesday, August 19, 2020, (Joseph Vidal/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Saturday revealed that it is investigating the killing of former Jolo, Sulu police chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Walter Annayo, who is facing cases over the killing of four Army intelligence officers last June 29.

“The case is now subject of investigation by PRO BARMM [Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao]. The CPNP [PNP Chief General Debold Sinas] himself has tasked the regional police director to look into the case (shooting to death of Lieutenant Colonel Walter Annayo),” Police Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana, PNP spokesman, said in a statement.

Usana said police probers are still identifying the motive behind Annayo’s death.

“For now, the PNP cannot ascertain, much less release any result yet as to the motive behind, not even the connection to his previous assignment as chief of police of Jolo police station where the case involving the alleged shootout between the police and military operatives last [June] happened,” he said.

Annayo was just about to buy coconut juice when he was shot dead by an unknown assailant in Maguindanao this Saturday afternoon.

Annayo, five other Jolo policemen, and three members of the Sulu Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) are facing murder complaints before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) over the death of Army intelligence operatives in Jolo.

Months after the incident, PNP Internal Affairs Service also filed administrative cases and criminal complaints against the involved police officers.

Annayo was administratively relieved after nine of his men were involved in the fatal shooting of four soldiers last June 29.

CFC