DOJ orders indictment of 9 Sulu cops in killing of 4 soldiers

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday ordered the criminal indictment of nine policemen who killed four military intelligence agents in Jolo, Sulu province, last year, an incident that the Armed Forces of the Philippines had decried as “rubout.”

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said he had instructed Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento to immediately file the case for four counts of murder against the nine policemen and get a court-issued warrant for their arrest.

The policemen will also be charged with violation of Republic Act No. 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, for planting a gun beside the body of one of the victims.

“I understand that the accused police officers have been dismissed from the service so the court should immediately obtain jurisdiction over their person, lest they [may] be able to flee,” Guevarra said in a Viber message.

Charged were Police Senior Master Sergeant Abdelzhimar Padjiri, Police Master Sergeant Hannie Baddiri, Police Staff Sergeants Iskandar Susulan, Almudzrin Hadjaruddin and Erniskar Sappal, Police Cpl. Sulki Andaki and Patrolmen Moh Nur Pasani, Alkajal Mandangan and Rajiv Putalan.

Last week, the Philippine National Police ordered their dismissal from service after they were found guilty of administrative offenses for their involvement in the June 29 killing of Maj. Marvin Indammog, Capt. Irwin Managuelod, Cpl. Abdal Asula, and Sgt. Jaime Velasco, all members of the 11th infantry division’s 9th intelligence service unit.

However, the DOJ dismissed for lack of jurisdiction the complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation against their superiors — Police Col. Michael Bawayan Jr., Police Capt. Ariel Corsino and Police Maj. Walter Annayo — for neglect of duty.

In recommending the indictment of the nine policemen, the DOJ said evidence showed that the killing of the military officials was considered an “attended/qualified treachery.”

“The victims were unarmed, unsuspecting and were not in a position to defend themselves when they were shot,” read the resolution issued by the DOJ.

“The autopsy and postmortem examination results reveal that the victims succumbed to the multiple gunshot wounds inflicted at the back of their bodies,” it added.

Contrary to the policemen’s claim that the soldiers fired at them, the DOJ said all the bullet slugs recovered from the crime scene showed that they belonged to the respondents’ service firearms.