Photo by Krisken Jones
General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff, is expected to implement a "major shake-up" of commanders operating in Basilan province after Sunday's ambush by elements of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) that almost wiped out a squad of infantry men led by a young second lieutenant.
"Definitely, heads will roll over the incident. The Chief of Staff is not happy about what happened," a military official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, disclosed to InterAksyon.com
The source said that, possibly, the first to be relieved from his position could be Lt. Col. Melisan Raymund Recaido, commanding officer of the 64th Infantry Battalion.
The same source added that, if the operating command fails to convince the AFP top brass of its explanation, the relief order could also hit the commander of the 104th Infantry Brigade, Col. Rolando Bautista.
Bautista was just three months old in his brigade position.
On Monday, Catapang expressed dismay over the incident during a news conference with reporters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
"We are now directing the conduct of an investigation as to how the incident happened. I'm not saying anything, as of now, about who could be at fault or if there were tactical lapses. What's important is that the incident is being investigated," Catapang said.
Among the six slain soldiers was 2nd Lt. Jun C. Corpuz, commanding officer of the Foxtrot Company.
Corpuz ranked 13th when he graduated from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) "Siklab Diwa" Class of 2014. He is a native of Bacnotan, La Union.
Aside from the casualties, four high-powered firearms were also taken away by the 20 Abu Sayyaf fighters suspected to be led by Radzmi Jannatul.
This impending reshuffle of commanders in Basilan would not be the first such development. The same thing happened many times before, the latest of which was in the wake of the day-long battle in Al-Barka town in October 2012 between 80 Special Forces troops against almost 400 combined fighters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and ASG that led to the death of 19 soldiers and 14 others suffering serious wounds.
Two full Colonels and two Lt. Colonels were relieved that time from their positions and subjected to court martial proceedings.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/98458/catapang-eyes-shakeup-of-commanders-over-basilan-incident
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