The Philippine National Police (PNP) has deployed tracker teams in Sulu to arrest the nine policemen who are facing cases of murder before a court for the killing of four military intelligence operatives in Jolo in June last year.
Gen. Debold Sinas, chief of the PNP, sent the tracker teams almost a month after they were released from restrictive custody following their dismissal from the service.
“The manhunt is in Jolo. Based on the last report that we received, they are all in Jolo,” said Sinas.
They are Senior Master Sgt. Abdelzhimar Padjiri, Master Sgt. Hanie Baddiri, Staff Sgt. Iskandar Susulan, Staff Sgt. Ernisar Sappal, Corporal Sulki Andaki, and Patrolman Moh. Nur Pasani, all members of the Jolo Municipal Police Station; and Staff Sgt. Almudzrin Hadjaruddin, Patralman Alkajal Mandangan, and Patrolman Rajiv Putalan of the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) of Sulu. Sinas said the tracker teams sent to Jolo are composed of operatives from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, the Intelligence Group and the police regional office at the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“These tracker teams are now in Jolo. But we are negotiating for those who want to surrender in order to assure their safety,” said Sinas.
Shortly after the dismissal order was approved by Sinas, the nine policemen were turned over to their families and lawyers.
Sinas explained that they have to release the nine policemen since there were already no reason for them to be restricted at Camp Crame since they were no longer considered PNP members when the dismissal order was signed.
A local court in Sulu issued an arrest warrant against the nine policemen several days ago.
“As long as they will surrender, we have no problem but the manhunt is still ongoing,” said Sinas. (Aaron Recuenco)
