Sagada declares 8-day mourning for Igorot Police Director killed in Sulu

Baguio City, Philippines – The body of Police Colonel Michael Bawayan Jr., the Igorot Police Director of Sulu who was shot dead by his subordinate on August 6, is now at his residence in Brookside, Baguio City.

The body of the 49-year-old Sulu police provincial director who traces his roots from Sagada, Mt. Province was brought home this August 10, 2021.

Meanwhile, Mayor James Pooten Jr. declared an eight-day mourning period in Sagada yesterday, August 9, for Bawayan. The Philippine Flag in the municipality is now at half-mast.

“Colonel Bawayan, as supported by the testimonies of his colleagues, is an exemplary individual with a consistently reliable work ethic, who tried to institute values of excellence, proper discipline, and positive change to law enforcement in his jurisdiction,” Pooten stated.

Meantime, Bawayan’s death is currently being investigated by a Special Investigation Task Group which was recently created after the order of Philippine National Police Chief, General Guillermo Eleazar.

As per initial police investigation, Bawayan died after he was shot by Police Staff Sergeant Imran Jilah in the afternoon of August 6 in Barangay Asturias when he reprimanded the latter for his long hair. The incident also resulted in the death of Jilah after the security aide of Bawayan shot him back.

Both Bawayan and Jilah were pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

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