THE remains of the three of four soldiers, including Major Marvin Indammog from Kalinga, who were killed by fellow lawmen in what appeared to be an incident of lack of coordination or mistaken identity in Jolo, Sulu, arrived at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Tuesday, June 30, 2020.
The Air Force plane and steel caskets bearing the remains of Indammog, 39, Captain Irwin Managuelod, 33, Sergeant Jaime Velasco, 38, were given full military arrival honors in Pasay City.
Indammog is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Mandala Class of 2006 and is a commanding officer of the 9th Intelligence Security Unit.
They were received by their families and comrades, and Army Commanding General Lieutenant General Gilbert Gapay.
The burial rites of another fallen soldier, Corporal Abdal Asula, 33, will be held in Sulu.
The Philippine Army, in a statement, said on Monday afternoon, a military intelligence team onboard a sport utility vehicle composed of two officers and two enlisted personnel under the 11th Infantry Division were hot on the trail of Abu Sayyaf members, bomb makers and suicide bombers in Sulu province.
The statement added they were flagged down by personnel of the Jolo Municipal Police Station, who were manning a checkpoint in the Jolo town proper. Even after properly identifying themselves, the police personnel approached and fired them for unknown reasons.
The enraged Gapay also demanded a full-blown investigation to be conducted on the death of the four soldiers from the hands of Philippine National Police (PNP) forces.
"The soldiers were on a mission to identify the location of known terrorists in the area. Based on eyewitness accounts, no altercation transpired between the two parties nor was there any provocation on the part of Army personnel to warrant such carnage. Furthermore, no agents from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency are involved and this is not an anti-drug operation. The Army grieves and condoles with the families of our fallen men. There will be no let-up in our quest for truth and justice," Gapay said.
He also condoled with the bereaved families and assured the necessary assistance will be given to the families of the slain soldiers.
“This tragedy imposed a great loss for our pursuit of peace in the Sulu region. The Philippine Army is strongly demanding for an impartial investigation to get to the bottom of this without any intention to create animosity between the Army and the PNP. However, we are professional organizations and we will not let this pass. The Army seeks that justice is served for our fallen heroes,” added Gapay.
Philippine National Police Chief Archie Gamboa, in a separate statement, said nine PNP personnel were involved.
He stressed that the PNP is open to an investigation and to any charges that may be filed against the police personnel involved in the incident.
The National Bureau of Investigation was also asked to conduct an impartial probe into the incident that saw the death of four soldiers, including two officials.