BY JEFFREY DAMICOG
The Department of Justice (DoJ) has formed a panel of prosecutors that will handle the preliminary investigation on the complaint filed against the policemen involved in the killing of four Army intelligence officers in Jolo, Sulu last June 29.
Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento confirmed on Monday that the panel was picked by Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon and is headed by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Gilmarie Fe Pacamarra.
The other members of the panel are Assistant State Prosecutors Consuelo Corazon Pazziuagan, Alejandro Dqguiso, and Prosecution Attorney Gino Angelo Yanga.
Malcontento said the panel has yet to schedule of the start of the preliminary investigation on the case filed by the National Investigation on July 21.
The case concerns the June 29 killing Major Arvin Indamog, Captain Irwin Managuelod, Sergeant Eric Velasco and Corporal Abdal Asula, who were engaged in surveillance operations in Jolo against suspected suicide bombers.
In its complaint, the NBI recommended to DoJ’s National Prosecution Service (NPS) to indict the nine policemen involved in the shooting with murder and planting of evidence.
They nine policemen are Senior Master Sergeant Abdelzhimar Padjiri; Master Sergeant Hanie Baddiri; Staff Sergeant Iskandar Susulan; Staff Sergeant Ernisar Sappal; Corporal Sulki Andaki; Patrolman Moh. Nur Pasani; Staff Sergeant Almudzrin Hadjaruddin; and Patrolmen Alkajal Mandangan and Rajiv Putalan.
The NBI also recommended the indictment of Sulu Provincial Police Office chief Colonel Michael Bawayan Jr.,Jolo Municipal Police Station chief Major Walter Annayo, and Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit chief Captain Ariel Corcino for neglect of duty.
“After a through perusal of the records of this case, we are convinced that the evidence presented amply demonstrates that the victims were killed and that was the 9 Police Officers who killed them,” read the memorandum of NBI Legal Evaluation Division (NBI-LED) officer-in-charge Yehlen Agus.
Agus added the nine should also be indicted for planting of evidence since witnesses told investigators that Indammog did not carry any firearm when he alighted from the Montero and “it could be concluded that the rifle recovered near his left hand was indeed planted.” (Jeffrey Damicog)
