PNP says cops in Jolo shooting may face probe if crime scene not handled well

July 1, 2020

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday said cops involved in the Jolo shooting incident where two Army officers and two soldiers died will face another investigation if they did not properly handle the crime scene before leaving the area.

“If the crime scene was not properly taken cared of, again, this will be subject to another investigation,” Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, said in a TV interview.

"Because in handling crime scenes and evidence, there is a procedure.We are very strict on this. If this was not done, our cops there would maybe be held again liable for that," he added.

Banac made the statement after Army chief Lieutenant General Gilbert Gapay questioned the standard operating procedure (SOP) of the PNP after the nine cops involved in the incident left the bodies of the soldiers after the incident.

"When there's a crime scene, there's an incident, the procedure is to secure the crime scene and wait for reinforcement or SOCO (Scene of the Crime Operation) to come in. Allegedly this thing did not happen so we want to know also and we can actually do that in the initial probe again," he added.

The official said all evidence found and recovered in the area were turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation, the one tasked to conduct a probe on the incident.

Banac said they will again review their standard operating procedure as this is the second time cops killed a soldier following the case of former Army Corporal Winston Ragos in Quezon City last April.

“This incident is very serious and this will be a big lesson for us… this should trigger a review on our policies and training, in so far as handling firearms and conducting checkpoints. We have to review again how we observe our operating procedures,” Banac said.

Gapay also condemned the initial report of the PNP, saying it is inconsistent and made to  whitewash the crime.

"Let me clarify the term 'misencounter.' What it meant was that the PNP didn't know that the four officers on board the SUV were our colleagues. In that sense, there was a misencounter because firing against our colleagues can be called misencounter in that sense," Banac said.

“Initially the report of the police since it was official and released, it cannot just be changed. That is an official report that’s why it is now being subjected to the investigation so we will know the truth and all questions will be answered,” he added.

Banac said the PNP Internal Affairs Service is monitoring the investigation.

"Our PNP Internal Affairs Service is keeping watch on this investigation. They're just monitoring developments and anytime, I know, they will launch their own administrative proceedings if evidence warrants," he said.

PNP said they are ready to cooperate with the investigation and will just leave the matter to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).  Ella Dionisio/DMS