Some Ampatuan weapons, Army guns have same serial numbers - AFP

A number of firearms seized from the Ampatuan compound in Maguindanao bear the same serial numbers as those of weapons issued to Army troops and in used by them, Armed Forces chief Gen. Victor Ibrado said Tuesday. In an interview at Camp Aguinaldo, Ibrado disclosed that a 57-mm recoilless rifle, for example, has the same serial number as that of another recoilless being used by a soldier assigned to the Army’s 901st Infantry Brigade in Bicol. He added that the weapon is now in his office after recalling it from an unnamed soldier. Ibrado further revealed that an M16 rifle issued to another soldier also has a serial number identical to that of a general purpose machine gun recovered from the Ampatuan compound. “I don’t know how they (Ampatuans) got the serial number. Either the serial number of this recoilless rifle that is with me is tampered with or the one that was recovered has a tampered serial number," he said. Ibrado said they are comparing the serial numbers of all the recovered firearms to the AFP inventory. Should the serial numbers match, they will find out which soldier is supposed to be holding the weapon at that time. “It will be unfortunate if the one that is in the possession of the soldier is the one that was tampered. If that is the case, he will have a problem. He has to explain why the firearm he is holding is tampered with and why the original was found in Maguindanao," he said. Ibrado said the AFP does not issue to soldiers rifles with tampered serial numbers. “You cannot turn in an issued rifle with a tampered serial number. You can be court-martialed for that," he added. He added that a soldier would have to explain why the serial number of his firearm has been tampered with and where the original went, or why the soldier did not report if he lost his weapon. A Board of Inquiry has also been created to consolidate investigation results and determine to whom the firearms and ammunition have been issued, and why they ended up in the possession of the Ampatuans, Ibrado said. Over 800 firearms and hundreds of thousands of ammunition were seized by government forces from the Ampatuan compound following the November 23 massacre of 57 civilians in Maguindanao. Key members of the influential Ampatuan clan, who stand accused of masterminding the massacre, have been arrested and are facing charges of murder and rebellion. In a separate press briefing, deputy presidential spokesperson Gary Olivar said that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is hoping to receive updates on the investigations on the recovered weapons “as soon as possible." “The President has never implemented any other policy other than ‘heads will roll’ if it deserves to roll," Olivar said, especially if any military official is found out to be involved in the possible trade of weapons with the Ampatuans. Meanwhile, Ibrado also said that the situation in Maguindanao has become stable a month after the massacre. He, however, refused to speculate on when the state of emergency in the province will be lifted, saying that police volunteers loyal to the Ampatuans are still on the loose and can wage a retaliatory offensive. - Jerrie M. Abella/JV, GMANews.TV