Sinas taps CIDG to probe slay of ex-Jolo police chief

FILE: PNP chief, Gen. Debold Sinas. (Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

MANILA – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Debold Sinas, has tapped the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to probe the killing of relieved Jolo, Sulu police chief, Lt. Col. Walter Annayo, in Maguindanao province over the weekend.

“For now, the investigation by the PRO BAR (Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region) is ongoing. We have already requested the CIDG to assist in the investigation doon. As of now, Annayo’s cadaver was taken to his home and it was transferred by plane and the Sulu local government unit gave assistance,” Sinas told reporters in a press briefing in Camp Crame on Monday.

Sinas said investigators have yet to determine whether Annayo’s killing is connected to his previous assignment as Jolo police chief.

Annayo was relieved from his post following the shooting incident involving nine police officers who allegedly shot dead four Army intelligence operatives in Jolo last June 29.

“Yung nine na suspects doon ay nandito sa Crame, nasa custodial facility natin at kinausap na rin sila kasi accordingly they are on low morale na namatay yung dating chief of police nila (The nine suspects are here in our custodial facility in Camp Crame and we talked to them. Accordingly, they are on low morale because their former chief police died) but the point is the chief of police was not directly involved (in the incident),” he said.

Earlier, administrative charges have been filed against Senior M/Sgt. Abdelzhimar Padjiri; M/Sgt. Hanie Baddiri; S/Sgt. Iskandar Susulan; S/Sgt. Ernisar Sappal; Cpl. Sulki Andaki; Pat. Mohammed Nur Pasani; S/Sgt. Almudzrin Hadjaruddin; Pat. Alkajal Mandangan; and Pat Rajiv Putalan.

After the incident, Annayo was reassigned to the PRO BAR in Parang, Maguindanao.

Based on the findings of the Internal Affairs Service (IAS), also facing administrative charges aside from Annayo are Lt. Col. Michael Bayawan Jr., Sulu police chief; and Capt. Ariel Corsino, head of the Sulu drug enforcement unit; since they are also liable under the doctrine of command responsibility.

A police report from the Sultan Mastura police station said at around 1:45 p.m. Saturday, Annayo alighted from his vehicle to buy a drink along Narciso Ramos Highway in Barangay Macabiso when unidentified suspects on board a sports utility vehicle gunned him down and fled towards Parang town.

Annayo was killed on the spot after succumbing to gunshot wounds in the head and different parts of his body.