SEVEN policemen from Iligan City Police Office (ICPO) will likely face criminal and administrative charges following accusations of their alleged involvement in the killing of a criminology student of the Iligan Capitol College in mid-August this year.
The seven police who were implicated in the killing of 21-year-old Rafshanie Amerol Azis were Senior Police Officer 1 (SPO1) Regel Rabago, PO2 Raymond Cuyos, PO2 Dionirel Cutanda, PO1 Creighgen Padayhag, PO1 Andro Sumaylo, PO1 Janeth Mission and PO1 Mabelle Hubilla.
Northern Mindanao police deputy spokesperson Chief Inspector Mardy Hortillosa said the policemen have been ordered relieved by Police Regional Director Noel Constantino last August 23 and September 3.
Hortillosa said the relief order against the suspects was given to give way for an impartial and fair investigation and to avoid perceptions of a cover-up.
Hortillosa clarified that no cases have been filed yet against the policemen since the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is still establishing whether the said policemen were involved in the murder incident.
"Gi-relieve sila para dili sila maka-hamper or maka-influence ba kaha sa investigation. Ang upat sa August 23 gi-relieve and tulo dayon sa September 3 (They were relieved so they can't hamper or influence the investigation. The four were relieved in August 23 and the three on September 3)," Hortillosa said.
Hortillosa said the seven policemen are currently reporting to the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (RPHAU) in Camp Alagar, Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City.
"Wala pay kaso nga na-file kay gi-establish pa kung unsa nga kaso i-file ug kung involved ba gyud sila (No case has been filed yet since they are establishing what case to file)," Hortillosa added.
Senior Superintendent Leony Roy Ga, Iligan city police director, said the victim, who is supposed to graduate after the completion of his internship in ICPO, is a member of a clan of politicians in Matungao, Lanao del Norte.
Ga said based on the police initial investigation, the victim was said to have had an affair with the wife of one of the accused policemen and this could have been the motive for the crime.
The police are also considering other angles like rido or feud between families and clans characterized by sporadic outbursts of retaliatory violence between families and kinship groups.
"Suspect pa sila wala pa na-prove kung involved ba gyud sila. Classmates sila sa recruit then nagkita-kita during that time sa usa ka imnanan kung asa naa pud ang victim. Gisuspetsahan sila kay cited man sila sa area and naa pud CCTV nga posible makatabang (They are still suspects and it hasn't been proven who they really are. They're classmates with the recruit and they hang out that time with the victim for beer. They are suspected because they were cited in the area and there is a CCTV footage that can possibly help)," Ga said.
"Ang nagpusil dili maklaro ang dagway kay naka-mask man ug nagtabon sa ulo (The shooter's face was wearing mask so his face can't be seen)," Ga added.
He said the police are conducting their own probe, but said an investigation is also being done by the NBI.