The chief of the Philippine National Police on Monday said the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) has formally filed administrative cases against the nine cops who are involved in the shooting incident in Jolo where four Philippine Army intelligence officers were killed on June 29.

“Summons were served last week to the nine respondents who are presently under restrictive custody by the Headquarters Support Service in Camp Crame. Because they are under restrictive custody, these personnel are readily available to face investigation by the panel of Summary Hearing Officers who will determine probable cause to take further administrative action against them,” Police General Camilo Cascolan said in his first press briefing.

The six police non-commissioned officers of the Jolo Municipal Police Station and three members of the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) of Sulu Provincial Police Office are respondents in a criminal case for murder and planting of evidence filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) before the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Cascolan said  IAS also filed administrative cases against three police commissioned officers who are direct superior officers of the nine respondents for gross neglect of duty under the doctrine of command responsibility.

IAS filed administrative cases against Lt Col Michael Bawayan Jr., provincial director of Sulu, Major Walter Annayo, Jolo Municipal Police Station chief, and Capt Ariel Corcino, PDEU- Sulu chief.

“They will be under restrictive custody too,” Cascolan said.

He said the three immediate superiors are on their way to Camp Crame.

”I am giving the Internal Affairs Service the free hand in exercising its mandate to determine the administrative liability of these personnel and to impose the appropriate penalty as prescribed under PNP regulations,” he said.

”Let me assure that these personnel will be afforded due process throughout the course of the entire investigation,” Cascolan added. Ella Dionisio/DMS