PHILIPPINE NEWS SERVICE — HEADS will roll when the military finds out the source of government weapons and ammunition unearthed near the mansion of the Ampatuans, the military vowed.
Armed Forces public information chief Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. admitted the possibility of the AFP’s own men selling weapons to private armies like those kept by the Ampatuans and rebel groups such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
“Isang possibility dito ibinenta … nangyayari po yan. Hindi authorized yan. That is why we will investigate. Pag may nadiskubre tayong nagkasala rito, we will prosecute them,” Brawner told reporters.
“Definitely kung talagang may nagkasala rito ‘di dapat palampasin ito. Ito ang one of the worst violations na pwedeng gawin ng sundalo, ang magbenta ng baril at bala,” Brawner added.
On Thursday, government troops unearthed a big weapons cache of light artillery and heavy infantry weapons, including commando weapons, explosives, ammunition, and military uniforms in a vacant lot beside the Maguindanao mansion of the powerful Ampatuan clan in Shariff Aguak, the provincial capital.
“We will have to investigate that. Nangako ang ating chief of staff magiging transparent ang investigation dito. Kung may kailangang parusahang opisyal at sundalo ng AFP, gagawin natin ito,” Brawner said.
Brawner said the AFP was “surprised” that the items unearthed from the site included weapons from the government’s armory.
He admitted the military supplies ammunition to civilian volunteer organization members who are deputized as force multipliers to fight off rebel and threat groups. But the supplies are limited.
“Bilang yan,” he said.
He also noted that the AFP issued only Garand, Carbine and M-14 rifles to CVO members, some of whom had been linked to the November 23 massacre.
Some of the shells recovered from the massacre site indicated M-16 rifles were used, he said.
Col. Leo Ferrer, new commander of the Army’s 601st Brigade who replaced Col. Medardo Geslani, said it was likely that the items unearthed in Poblacion Tres, Sharif Aguak belonged to the perpetrators of the grisly mass slaughter on November 23.
“We believe that these were used during the massacre,” Ferrer said.
Sen. Antonio Trillanes said the seizure of the weapons confirmed the Magdalo group’s allegation that warlords got their firearms from the military.
“This corrupt and condemnable practice has not only led to the sacrifice of countless lives of soldiers and innocent civilians but has been fueling the endless war in Mindanao,” he said.