Wesmincom chief says US troops were not interfering in Sulu hospital operations

By Ronron
January 4, 2008

Armed Forces Western Mindanao commander Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga said Friday that US troops in Sulu never intervened in the operations of a local hospital early last month.

Allaga issued the statement Friday even as he admitted that the investigation, which is conducted by the Joint Task Force Comet, is yet to be completed.

“More or less, I now have an initial idea of what happened. It was really insignificant,” Allaga said.

“The (American) soldiers were passing by the hospital and they just asked that the generator (of the hospital) be shut down for their safety. That was on December 4. It was not done arrogantly,” he said.

Allaga said the American troops asked that the Panamao District Hospital switch off its lights that night because “there was a prior encounter in the area.”

“It is for the safety of the hospital staff so they could not be caught in a crossfire in case fighting ensues,” Allaga said.

Allaga pointed out that the hospital is prone to getting caught in the crossfire because it is located next to a military camp.

Besides, he said the American soldiers are known to the hospital staff since they were the ones who helped open it and continue to extend assistance.

“Even the Mayor denied that report,” Allaga said.

Allaga blamed a local reporter for blowing up the incident negatively, even as the reporter allegedly quoted the hospital chief.

On December 30, a meeting regarding the incident was conducted between TF Comet chief Maj. Gen. Ruben Rafael, Sulu Governor Sakur Tan, staff of the hospital, and representatives from the US Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines at the Sulu Provincial Capitol.

The meeting came after Allaga’s directive to Rafael to investigate the incident, which “had an impact on the ongoing joint humanitarian efforts of the US Forces and the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Sulu.”

But Allaga assured that the AFP “shall uphold the sovereignty and integrity of the Filipinos and shall bring the mater to proper US authorities if warranted.”

The US military continues to maintain forces in the southern Philippines under the Mutual Defense Treaty of the two countries. Authorities say they are conducting humanitarian assistance activities and holding training with their Filipino counterparts./DMS