AFP says civilian killed last Black Saturday in Parang, Sulu along with nine soldiers initiated firing

By Ronron
April 26, 2007

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reported Thursday that the civilian killed along with nine soldiers in a shooting incident last April 7 inside a military camp in Parang, Sulu was the one who initiated the firing.

But AFP Public Information Officer Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro said the identity and motive of the slain civilian remain unknown to this day because no one can immediately identify him.

Based on the investigation, Bacarro said the suspect was first seen in the company of a Private First Class (PFC) Nautan, a personnel of the Charlie Company, 35th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, on the night of April 6 at a canteen near the patrol base of the latter.

The two were then seen getting inside the patrol base, located in Barangay Silangkan, wherein the civilian was allowed entry since he was with Nautan.

Without provocation and most probably taking advantage of the darkness, Bacarro said the suspect forcibly took the M16 rifle of a Private Gindal, the duty guard at that time, at around 2:25am of April 7.

Out of fear, Gindal hurriedly ran towards the house where many other soldiers are staying, and proceeded to the second floor.

Bacarro said the suspect pursued Gindal inside the house and “indiscriminately fired several bursts of automatic shots, instantly killing some occupants on the ground floor.”

He said other occupants exited through the window and promptly occupied battle positions.

But the suspect was still able to fire at Gindal and hit him, as well as PFC Samsi, who was positioning some meters west of the house.

“The suspect fired more shots towards the direction of the radio room (located inside the house), hitting Corporal Enaniog and other personnel and equipment thereat,” Bacarro said.

At 3 am, the soldiers sought for reinforcement via radio communication from their battalion headquarters located at Barangay Bud Dato in Indanan town, same province. At this time, the firing stopped intermittently.

An hour and a half later, elements from the 35th IB headquarters arrived at the Silangkan Patrol Base but were met by gunfire from the direction of the suspect. The government troops retaliated with machine gun fire from armored vehicles.

“The operation ended at about 5:30 am,” Bacarro said.

“The clearing operations resulted in the discovery of nine soldiers and the civilian suspect killed. Also rescued were two wounded, identified as Cpl. Labrado and Mrs. Sapie, who expired later,” he added.

Bacarro said it was Labrado who positively identified the slain civilian as the one who snatched the rifle away from Gindal before the shooting started.

He clarified that the civilian is not the errand boy in the camp earlier reported as the one who died.

Bacarro said pictures of the slain civilian were shown to different units and agencies in the towns of Parang, Maimbung, Indanan and Jolo for identification purposed but proved futile.

He said it is unfortunate that Nautan could no longer identify the suspect since he also among the fatalities.

“Even as we have singled out the perpetrator of the said killing, we consider it imperative to establish his identity in order to be able to determine his motive,” Bacarro said./DMS