PNP released cops in Jolo shooting despite DOJ requests to hold until warrant out — Guevarra

The Philippine National Police (PNP) released the nine police officers accused of killing four soldiers in Jolo despite requests from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to keep them in custody until a court orders their arrest, Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Tuesday.

The PNP said it released the officers, who face charges for murder and planting of evidence, following their dismissal from the service this year.

On Monday, PNP chief General Debold Sinas said the dismissed cops were turned over to their respective families as no arrest warrants had been released yet.

"Actually sila po ay nai-release na kasi wala pong warrant of arrest na binigay sa amin. We have coordinated with the DOJ (Department of Justice) at saka sa lahat, hanggang ngayon wala po," Sinas said at a press conference.

"So ayaw po namin ma-charge po kaming arbitrary detention at saka 'yung pinirmahan ko pong dismissal is implementable na po 'yun. So we turned them over to their relatives and lawyers," he added.

Guevarra said the court where the charges were filed last January 4 has not yet issued arrest warrants because of the COVID-19 lockdown in Sulu.

Sulu is locked down until January 17 to prevent the transmission of the new coronavirus variant that has been detected in nearby Sabah, Malaysia.

"In the meantime, the 9 police officers were released from custody despite requests of the DOJ with the PNP to hold them awhile until the arrest warrants were issued," the secretary said in a message to reporters.

"We hope that the 9 accused will voluntarily turn themselves in when such warrants are eventually released by the court. Otherwise, law enforcement agents will look for them and take them into custody," he said.

Sought for its comment, PNP spokesman Police Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana said he is not privy with the request of the DOJ but he said the PNP just followed what the rules provide in releasing the cops.

"All the admin processes have been carried out. And the policemen are simply considered now as civilians following their dismissal orders which are immediately executory in compliance with NAPOLCOM circular," Usana explained.

"The criminal aspect is distinct and separate from admin procedures of the PNP," he added.

Hold departure order

Guevarra said he has ordered prosecutors to ask the court to issue a hold departure order, which will prevent all the accused from leaving the country.

Armed Forces chief General Gilbert Gapay earlier said he was "extremely disappointed" with the release of the dismissed policemen. Gapay used to be chief of the Philippine Army, the unit of the four soldiers killed.

Major Marvin Indamog, Captain Irwin Managuelod, Sergeant Eric Velasco, and Corporal Abdal Asula were conducting intelligence operations in Barangay Walled City last June 29 when they were flagged down by the policemen.

Though the servicemen had identified themselves as military personnel, police still told them to go to a nearby police station for further verification.

Police claimed that the soldiers tried to escape, prompting the officers 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.

Gapay said the soldiers never fired. The National Bureau of Investigation later found that the soldiers were shot mostly in the back and had three to eight gunshot wounds.

The police officers were dismissed from the service on January 1 and have been turned over to their families. — with Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA News