The nine policemen accused of shooting dead four military intelligence operatives in Jolo in June and the three top officials in Sulu have been charged administratively, Philippine National Police Chief Camilo Cascolan said Monday.
He said the charges were filed against Senior Master Sgt. Abdelzhimar Padjiri; Master Sgt. Hanie Baddiri; Staff Sgt. Iskandar Susulan; Staff Sgt. Ernisar Sappal; Cpl. Sulki Andaki; Pat. Moh. Nur Pasani; Staff Sgt. Almudzrin Hadjaruddin; Pat. Alkajal Mandangan, and Pat Rajiv Putalan. All are under restrictive custody in Camp Crame.
The three senior officials—Lt. Col. Michael Bayawan Jr., the chief of police in Sulu; Maj. Walter Annayo, the chief of police in Jolo; and Capt. Ariel Corsino, the head of the Sulu drug enforcement unit-have also been charged since they are similarly liable under the doctrine of command responsibility.
Killed in the June 29 incident were Maj. Marvin Indammog, Capt. Irwin Managuelod, Sgt. Jaime Velasco, and Cpl. Abdal Asula, all Army personnel.
The four were conducting intelligence and monitoring operations against two suspected suicide bombers when gunned down by the policemen.
"I am giving the internal affairs unit a free hand in exercising its mandate to determine the administrative liability of these personnel and to impose the appropriate penalty as prescribed under PNP regulations," Cascolan told reporters.
He made his statement even as the Transport department said more K9 units would be deployed in all railway stations across Metro Manila to prevent terror "threats" following the blasts in Jolo.
The department said it had ordered the Philippine Coast Guard to expand the deployment of K9 units.
At least 40 K9 units would be deployed at the LRT-1, LRT-2, MRT-3 and the Philippine National Railways to augment the security protocols to prevent terror threats, the department said.
The National Bureau of Investigation earlier filed murder charges against the nine policemen. It also recommended the filing of charges against Bayawan, Annayo and Corsino for neglect of duty.
"These personnel are readily available to face investigation by the panel of summary hearing officers who will determine probable cause to take further administrative actions against them," Cascolan said.
“But let me assure everyone that these personnel will be afforded due process throughout the course of the entire investigation.”