TWO police commanders from Maguindanao del Norte are now under investigation over their possible liabilities in the death of Captain Roland Moralde.
In a press conference on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief of the Public Information Office (PIO) Colonel Jean Fajardo said the police chiefs of Matanog and Rajah Buayan Municipal Police Stations were facing a pre-charge investigation in relation to the involvement of two of their personnel in the killing of Moralde.
“This is to determine ‘yung kanilang administrative liability. How come during the time of the incident ay nandoon ‘yung dalawang pulis na involved doon sa malapit sa may pinangyarihan at hindi nagrerender ng duty (the two policemen were near the area where the shooting happened and not rendering their duty),” she said.
On May 2, Moralde, a member of the Regional Mobile Force Company (RMFB) 14, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm), accosted Mohiden Ramalan Untal, who was carrying a short firearm on his waist at the Public Market in Barangay Poblacion 2 in Parang, Maguindanao del Norte.
Moralde confronted Untal, leading to a gun fight that resulted in the latter’s death.
Five other suspects, all were Untal’s relatives, and Police Master Sergeants Aladdin Ramalan and Shariff Balading arrived at the scene and engaged in the gunfight in a bid to defend Untal. This resulted in the killing of Moralde.
Ramalan was assigned at the Matanog Municipal Police Station, 24.7 kilometers away from Parang, Maguindanao del Norte, at the time of the incident, while Balading was assigned at the Rajah Buayan Municipal Police Station, almost 90 kilometers away from the place of the shootout.
Fajardo said Ramalan and Balading are now considered on absence without official leave after they failed to report to the Maguindanao police regional office following the issuance of a restrictive custody against them.
The court earlier ordered the release of Ramalan and Balading as the charges filed against them for murder were referred for further case build-up.
Fajardo said the proceedings in relation to the Maguindanao police’s request to transfer the case in Manila are ongoing.
Fajardo earlier said they received information that the fiscal is a relative of the two police suspects.
PNP Chief General Rommel Marbil earlier ordered police commanders across the country to account for their personnel to ensure that they report daily in their respective assignments. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)