PNP now says what happened in Jolo was a shooting incident, not a misencounter

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday retracted its earlier statement that what happened in Jolo, Sulu, wherein four soldiers were killed, was a misencounter. 

PNP spokesman Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac told GMA News Online that what transpired last Monday was actually a shooting incident. 

The latest remark of the PNP was based on what was written in the police report, which stated that the soldiers did not fire shots at the cops, but only pointed their guns towards the policemen, Banac said. 

On Tuesday, a furious Philippine Army chief Lieutenant General Gilbert Gapay branded the incident as murder, noting that government troops never fired a single shot towards the police officers. 

Gapay has criticized the spot report of the police, saying that it was fabricated and made to whitewash the incident.

The four soldiers were on official mission on Monday afternoon when policemen on patrol spotted their SUV.

When confronted by the cops, the men introduced themselves as members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). They were then directed to proceed to Jolo Municipal Police Station for verification.

However, the initial police report said the soldiers attempted to escape, and when the cops chased them, the men got off the vehicle and allegedly pointed their firearms at the police. This prompted the cops to fire at them, resulting in their death.

The PNP-Internal Affairs Service is investigating the incident, Inspector General Alfegar Triambulo said on Wednesday.

The AFP said it will study what military protocols need to be enhanced so that the incident will not happen again, its chief said Wednesday.

"The AFP will also determine if there [were] SOPs, procedures and other systems violated and improve [the] same to avoid similar incidents," General Felimon Santos Jr. said in a text message, referring to how the military conducts operations and coordinations.

The Philippine Army on Tuesday afternoon gave the slain soldiers military arrival honors at Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.

President Rodrigo Duterte was "extremely sad" over the incident, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Wednesday. —KG, GMA News