House may investigate deadly Jolo ‘shooting incident’ if needed —Rep. Nograles

The House of Representatives may investigate the "shooting incident" in Jolo, Sulu that took the lives of four soldiers, but "only if necessary," PBA party-list Representative Jericho Nograles said Thursday.

"[We] have to wait for the decisions of the members and consultations with authorities," he told GMA News Online.

Nograles is an author of one of the two bills seeking to strengthen the Philippine National Police (PNP) Internal Affairs Service (IAS), and he believes this incident could be used as a reference point to necessitate the IAS's independence from the PNP.

"We also should keep in mind the legislative necessity to investigate because we have limited time," he added.

The four slain soldiers were on an 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.

The initial police report said the soldiers attempted to escape, and when the cops chased them, the men got out of the vehicle and allegedly pointed their firearms at the police. This prompted the cops to open fire, killing all four.

PNP spokesman Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac initially described the incident as a "misencounter," saying that it was a big lesson for the police forces.

He, however, eventually retracted this statement and said the event was a "shooting incident."

The military, on the other hand, said what happened was a rubout. It said the soldiers were conducting intelligence operations to track alleged suicide bombers when they were flagged down by the policemen.

Nograles said to describe the incident as a "misencounter," as the PNP initially did, is not only premature but also "reeks of whitewash."

"How can the PNP already claim this was a misencounter when they have not even conducted a thorough investigation on this case? The PNP should know better and choose words carefully because this is like adding insult to injury to the family and the brothers-in-arms of the whole Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP),” he said in a statement.

“Conceding that this is an innocent misencounter is trying to whitewash a possible murder situation. This is reckless and very irresponsible,” he added.

Nograles said the policemen involved in the incident should immediately be removed from Sulu so that there can be an independent probe into the matter.

“One doesn’t need to be a forensic scientist to see that all the victims who were all sprawled near their vehicle were not armed," he said.

"It is a well and established rule to not fire unless fired upon, and, based on the reports I have received, the Army personnel did not shoot first. Sounds like a rubout to me,” he added.

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

The AFP, meanwhile, said it will study what military protocols need to be enhanced so that the incident will not happen again. — BM, GMA News