Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa said Monday the tension between the cops and soldiers after the killing of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) intelligence officers in Jolo already eased.
The Board of Inquiry, composed of the PNP and AFP officers, returned to Manila after investigating the shooting incident in Jolo, Gamboa, told reporters in Camp Crame.
“With the advent na pumunta ‘yung joint AFP and PNP, I don’t think meron pang pressure na ganoon or meron pang tensyon na ganoon sa Jolo,” Gamboa said.
“We have been assured by both ‘yung Armed Forces commanders together with the PNP na let us just wait for the NBI to come up with results of the investigation and then, for the meantime, we continue to work together,” he added.
Last week, the nine cops involved in the death of four soldiers were transferred to Camp Crame so they would be readily available during the National Bureau of Investigation’s probe.
Army Chief Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay earlier said the Jolo shooting incident where Sulu cops killed four soldiers was not a “misencounter” but a murder.
Gapay added the soldiers did nothing to provoke or push the police to carry out such a shooting.
Also read: AFP loses track of Jolo bombers after 4 soldiers killed
According to AFP-Western Mindanao Command chief Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana, the four soldiers assigned to the 11th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army were on an official mission where their operations targeted two suspected suicide bombers of the Abu Sayyaf.
A report by the PNP-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Spokesperson Jemar Delos Santos said the four soldiers were on board Montero SUV and was blocked at the checkpoint. The men identified themselves as soldiers.
The four were directed to the Jolo Municipal Police Station for verification, but the four men, who were later identified as members of the AFP intelligence unit, allegedly fled. The soldiers reportedly targeted the police, resulting in an encounter.
The deceased were identified as Maj. Marvin Indamog, Capt. Iriwin Managuelod, Sgt. Eric Velasco and Cpl. Abdal Asula.
The AFP lost track of the two suspected Jolo bombers after Sulu cops killed the four intelligence operatives.