Three police officers were shot in the head and killed during a cockfighting raid in Karang Manik Village, Negara Batin District, Way Kanan Regency, Lampung Province, on Monday (Mar. 17).
Two military personnel who turned themselves in have been named as witnesses and are undergoing investigation at the Military Police Detachment II/3 in Lampung.
Meanwhile, one civilian has been named a suspect.
Dr. Muhammad Fatahillah Akbar, a Criminal Law lecturer from the UGM Faculty of Law (FH UGM), emphasized that the murder case must be thoroughly and transparently investigated.
“This murder must be processed, especially since it involved the use of firearms and was committed by rogue personnel. It must be handled strictly,” the academic stated Thursday (Mar. 20).
Incidents involving shootouts between military and police personnel have occurred frequently across different regions, often sparked by disputes over the protection of gambling arenas, nightclubs, and security services.
According to Dr. Akbar, the police and military have distinct roles.
The police are responsible for maintaining security and public order and combating crime, while the military focuses on defense and safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty.
“In this case, cockfighting is entirely outside the military’s jurisdiction, as it falls solely under the police’s authority,” he explained.
Dr. Akbar asserted that the matter must be handled objectively if any rogue personnel are involved. When military personnel are involved, only the Military Police can handle the case.
However, if both civilians and military personnel are involved in a criminal act, the case must be handled jointly.
“I believe this is what needs to be monitored—how the murder case is being handled. Even if the Military Police are leading, the process must remain transparent to ensure accountability,” he added.
Dr. Akbar also noted that civilians were involved in the raid, which necessitated joint handling by the military and police.
“Civilians participated in the cockfighting, so it should be handled jointly to allow police involvement,” he concluded.
Author: Kezia Dwina Nathania
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya
Image: Pinterest