Philippine National Police chief Gen. Debold Sinas on Monday said the PNP has sought the assistance of the Philippine Army in tracking down nine former police officers implicated in the fatal shooting of four Army intelligence troopers in June last year.
“Our dialogue is still ongoing and some of them are still hesitant to surrender, but we already gave copies of the arrest warrant to the PA to help us in tracking them,” Sinas said in a media interview.
Sinas said the dismissed Jolo cops are wary of surrendering due to fears for their security and safety despite earlier assurances that they will be detained at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
“But they still refused to surrender so our manhunt goes on,” Sinas said.
Aside from the Army, he said they also gave copies of the arrest warrants to the National Bureau of Investigation.
Reports said the nine former policemen are still in Jolo, Sulu.
Last month, a panel of prosecutors of the Department of Justice found probable cause to indict the nine police officers – Senior M/Sgt. Abdelzhimar Padjiri, M/Sgt. Hanie Baddiri, S/Sgt. Iskandar Susulan, S/Sgt. Ernisar Sappal, Cpl. Sulki Andaki, Pat. Moh Nur Pasani, S/Sgt. Almudzrin Hadjaruddin, Pat. Alkajal Mandangan, and Pat. Rajiv Putalan for four counts of murder and planting of evidence.
The panel did not recommend bail for the accused.
Sinas earlier approved the dismissal from service of the police officers.
The four soldiers – Maj. Marvin A. Indammog, Capt. Irwin B. Managuelod, Sgt. Jaime M. Velasco, and Cpl. Abdal Asula, – were conducting intelligence and monitoring operations against two suspected suicide bombers when they gunned down by the Jolo police officers in June 2020.