Philippines sacks 21 policemen for being ‘co-conspirators’ in 2009 massacre
The Philippines' police force has sacked 21 officers for being “co-conspirators” in the country's worst massacre six years ago, according to an official statement released on Wednesday.
The officers were dismissed for failing to stop the son of a political warlord and his bodyguards shooting 58 people, including 32 journalists, in the conflict-wracked southern province of Maguindanao in November 2009, according to a police statement.
Their inaction manifests complicity and unity of action to those who committed the abduction, and later the murders, themselves
All but one of the officers were found guilty of grave misconduct.
“The 20 respondents were held liable for opting to become silent spectators to a crime unfolding before their very eyes,” said the statement.
“Their inaction manifests complicity and unity of action to those who committed the abduction, and later the murders, themselves.”
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The remaining officer, Inspector Saudi Matabalao Mokamad, was found to have ignored gunshots he heard from the crime scene and not reporting them to his superiors.