Military starts probe on alleged weapon pilferage

The military has started investigating how some of their high-powered firearms and ammunition ended up in the hands of the powerful Ampatuan clan in Maguindanao province. Armed Forces public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Sunday said military probers have summoned the involved officers to determine if there was pilferage from the military’s inventory of weapons. A number of seized firearms have the same serial numbers as those issued to Army troops. “Part of our investigation is to summon these officers and to find out their statements. We have summoned officers to shed light into these allegations," he said. Brawner refused to identify the officers facing investigation, saying as far as the military organization is concerned, they are not considered as suspects yet. The investigation is being carried out by the Office of the Inspector General upon order from Armed Forces chief Gen. Victor Ibrado. “Definitely, the desire of our chief of staff is to go after anybody who is responsible for any pilferage from the inventory of the AFP," Brawner said. “Our chief of staff has promised that if there are officers who should be held responsible and accountable, they should be held accountable," he added as he admitted possible lapses in the safekeeping of their weapons. Over 800 firearms and thousands of ammunition were seized from the Ampatuans’ hidden weapon arsenal in several areas in Maguindanao last month after Malacañang placed the province under military rule for eight days. The declaration – the first one after the late President Ferdinand Marcos declared the same thing more than 30 years ago – was to contain a brewing Ampatuan-led rebellion, according to Palace officials. The Ampatuans, who allegedly have thousands of private armies and armed supporters, are blamed for the massacre of at least 57 people, including women and journalists, in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao last November 23. Most of the members of the powerful clan hold key government positions in Maguindanao. They were allied with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo prior to the massacre, which is considered as the worst case of political violence in the country. - KBK, GMANews.TV