TWO military officers and an enlisted man were killed in a shooting incident inside an Army camp in the province of Sulu, where troops are battling the extremists Abu Sayyaf Group bandits.
Major Arvin John Encinas, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) spokesperson, said the incident took place around 11 p.m. Friday, January 31, at the headquarters of the Army Artillery Regiment’s (AAR) 9th Field Artillery Battalion (9FAB) in the village of Liang, Patikul, Sulu.
Encinas identified the fatalities as Major Rael Gabot, 9FAB executive officer, First Lieutenant Ryan Lamoste, 9FAB Civil-Military Operations (CMO) officer, and Corporal Jack Indap, an enlisted personnel of the same unit.
Police investigation showed that prior to the incident, Lamoste called the attention of Indap when the CMO officer saw the him pounding the chest of Private Ralph Patongao, a duty steward at the 9FAB officers’ mess hall.
A heated argument ensued between Lamoste and Indap when the CMO officer ordered the latter to be relieved from his post after admitting he was drunk.
Indap allegedly opened fire using his service firearms when Gabot was about to intervene them.
Second Lieutenant Clint John Cenita, who heads a unit of the Army’s 41st Infantry Battalion, and happened to be in the vicinity, shot Indap, who refused to surrender.
Encinas said the two officers and enlisted man were rushed to Camp Bautista Station Hospital in the village of Bus-Bus, Jolo, Sulu “for emergency treatment, but efforts were futile and were declared thereafter.”
Meanwhile, Encinas said the families of the slain soldiers were immediately informed about the incident.
He said the Joint Task Force Sulu is saddened by unfortunate incident. (SunStar Zamboanga)