Army colonel up for 'admonition' for 2011 Basilan clash that killed 19 elite troops

From InterAksyon (Jan 11): Army colonel up for 'admonition' for 2011 Basilan clash that killed 19 elite troops

For his role in a botched operation in October 2011 that saw 19 Special Forces troops killed and 14 others wounded in a clash with fighters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Al Barka, Basilan, an Army colonel has been found guilty by a court martial and sentenced to an admonition. However, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Colonel Arnulfo Burgos said Friday that the verdict against Colonel Aminkadra Undog “is recommendatory and shall be forwarded to the final convening authority who is the AFP chief of staff, General Jessie Dellosa. As the final convening authority, Gen. Dellosa may approve or disapprove the sentence imposed by the general court martial to Colonel Undog.” The disclosure of the verdict also did not provide details of the offenses Undog was accused of committing.

Aside from the recommended admonition, Undog is also up for suspension from holding any position and lowering in the military’s linear list, a move that would impact on future promotion. Undog, former commander of the Army’s Special Forces Regiment, is a bemedalled officer credited for the capture of the Abu Sayyaf’s Commander Robot in 2003. He was one of four officers in charge of the Al Barka operation charged with violating Articles of War 96 (conduct unbecoming an officer and gentleman) and 97 (disorder and neglect to the prejudice of good order and military discipline). The court martial is still hearing the charges against Lieutenant Colonel Leo Pena, former commander of the 4th Special Forces Battalion in Basilan, which also include violation of Article of War 84 (willful or negligent loss, damage or wrongful disposition).

The two other officers -- former Special Operations Task Force Basilan commander Col. Alexander Macario and former Special Forces training school commander Lt. Col. Orlando Edralin -- were cleared for lack of evidence on October 30, 2011.

On October 18, 2011, a Special Forces company was deployed to Barangay Cambug in Al Barka to serve warrants of arrest against members of the Abu Sayyaf accused of involvement in the earlier killing of 14 Marines, 10 of whom were also beheaded.

A survivor of the incident earlier recounted the troops sent to Al Barka were members of Class 42 of a military scuba diving course and were under the impression they were on a so-called "test mission."
Instead, they apparently stumbled into the stronghold of the MILF’s 114th Base Command.
In the wake of the incident, the MILF blamed the military, saying the troops had encroached on territory they were barred from entering under a ceasefire agreement.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/52489/army-colonel-up-for-admonition-for-2011-basilan-clash-that-killed-19-elite-troops