PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will meet with the heads of the Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to discuss the shooting and killing of four soldiers by policemen in Jolo, Sulu.
In a televised briefing on Thursday, July 2, 2020, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the President has a “personal interest” in the investigation.
“Ito po ay iimbestigahan ng NBI (National Bureau of Investigation). Ang Presidente po mismo ay nagsabi na may personal na interes siya para malaman kung ano talaga ang nangyari diyan dahil ayaw niyang nangyayari ito sa mga magkakakampi,” Roque said.
“Siya mismo ay makikipag-usap doon sa mga pulis na na-involve rito sa patayan na ito,” he added.
Four army men and two officers were shot and killed by policemen at a checkpoint in Jolo on Monday, June 29. Nine policemen involved in the incident are under investigation.
The Philippine Army said the police shot the soldiers “for unknown reasons” while the police said the soldiers “attempted to escape” when they were asked to proceed to the Jolo Municipal Police Station to verify their identities.
Those killed were military intelligence personnel who were on a mission to identify the location of terrorists in Sulu, the Army said.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año assured that the investigation will be fair.
“Unang-una dinetain na natin itong mga suspects na policemen at ni-relieve na po natin ‘yung chief ng Jolo station at sisiguraduhin natin na ang justice ay talagang igagawad natin. Of course we will observe the due process,” Año said. (Jove Moya/SunStar Philippines)