Troops arrest rogue soldier accused of killing civilian in Mindanao

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Philippine Army soldiers have captured an infantryman accused of killing a civilian and wounding six others following a firefight in the southern province of Compostela Valley, a military spokesman said. Captain Emmanuel Garcia of the 10th Infantry Division said troops exchanged gunfire with Sergeant Fredo Argueles after he resisted arrest. Wounded in the skirmish, the suspect was rushed to a local hospital. Argueles has been linked to the killing of 49-year old Freddie Neri in Iloco Nuevo village in Mawab town last Tuesday. "Reports showed that at about 11:50 p.m. of June 22, a drunken Argueles and his wife were having heated arguments and in the course of the dispute, Argueles took his M14 rifle, walked out of their hut and fired his weapon directed outside while walking out of the (army) detachment," Garcia said. Argueles escaped after the incident and was tracked down by soldiers the following day hiding in a banana plantation. Lieutenant Colonel Norman Zuniega, commander of the 72nd Infantry Battalion, said they had tried to convince Argueles to surrender peacefully, but their effort failed. "We had tried everything to make him surrender peacefully. We encouraged him to lay down his weapon so that he can face his case in the proper court, but he fired at the troops. We wanted him to surrender peacefully, but we are also prepared to use force to subdue and arrest him so that he can face justice and put him in jail if found guilty," he said. Major General Carlos Holganza, the regional army commander, sent a team of soldiers, accompanied by village officials and religious leaders, to offer help to Neri’s family and other victims of the shooting. "We are deeply saddened by the turn of events and we condole with the victim’s family. We understand that any help extended will not bring back the life of the victim but we will make necessary arrangements to alleviate the sufferings of the family of Neri and of other victims. Our troops have arrested the suspect and we will make sure that he will face the full force of the law. We will not tolerate crimes perpetrated by anyone, even one of our own. Rest assured that justice will be served," Holganza said — Al Jacinto/LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV