MANILA – The police chief of Jolo, Sulu was removed from his post following the shooting incident that killed at least four Philippine Army troops on Monday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.
PNP spokesperson Bernard Banac told CNN Philippines Thursday that Lieutenant Colonel Walter Annayo was relieved as part of command responsibility for the actions of his nine men.
The PNP has also disarmed and relieved from their posts nine policemen involved in the murder of Major Marvin Indammog, Captain Irwin Managuelod, Sergeant Jaime Velasco, and Corporal Abdal Asula.
The Sulu Provincial Police Office has earlier stated that the victims had identified themselves as military personnel but were directed to proceed to a nearby police station for further verification of their identities.
Upon arriving at the station, the police report said, the soldiers allegedly tried to escape, prompting the policemen to chase them. The soldiers allegedly disembarked from their vehicle and pointed their weapons at their pursuers. Police then fired shots at the soldiers, killing them.
Army Chief Lieutenant Genereal Gilbert Gapay, however, insisted that the four victims were murdered prompting the PNP to rule out the “misencounter” angle as the soldiers did not fire a single shot at the police.
The National Bureau of Investigation is also investigating CCTV footage where several men arrived at the crime scene shortly after the incident. The Philippine Army later clarified that those were soldiers who responded after the incident./PN
