PHILIPPINE NATIONAL Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold Sinas on Wednesday said majority of the nine dismissed cops who have been charged following the fatal shooting of four Army intelligence operatives in Jolo last year have already expressed their desire to surrender.
"Actually, we are (now) talking with them. I think five to six cops already wants to surrender and we are negotiating. Hopefully before the end of the week, (we will know) who wants to be placed under PNP custody," Sinas said.
Sinas declined to identify those who wanted to surrender but said dialogue and negotiations are ongoing to expedite their surfacing.
"Negotiations are ongoing to speed up their surrender so that we can take them into our custody," he said.
State prosecutors have earlier found probable cause to charge the nine dismissed police officers -- Senior M/Sgt. Abdelzhimar Padjiri; M/Sgt. Hanie Baddiri; S/Sgt. Iskandar Susulan; S/Sgt. Ernisar Sappal; Cpl. Sulki Andaki; Pat. Moh Nur Pasani; S/Sgt. Almudzrin Hadjaruddin; Pat. Alkajal Mandangan; and Pat. Rajiv Putalan for four counts of murder and planting of evidence.
On Jan. 11, Sinas said the nine former cops have been released to the custody of their families and lawyers due to the absence of an arrest warrant and they could no longer hold them as they were already dismissed from the service.
They have been charged for the June 29, 2020 shooting incident that resulted in the death of Maj. Marvin A. Indammog, Capt. Irwin B. Managuelod, Sgt. Jaime M. Velasco, and Cpl. Abdal Asula.
The four soldiers were conducting intelligence and monitoring operations against two suspected suicide bombers when gunned down by the nine Jolo police officers. (By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan)
