5 soldiers arrested for looting amid fighting in Zamboanga City

MANILA, Philippines – Five soldiers deployed in Zamboanga City to fight Moro National Liberation Front rebels were arrested for allegedly looting the house of a local official.

“Soldiers deployed reported fellow soldiers looting. Last September 20 we received a report from our unit when they saw soldiers looting,” Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said.

Zagala said the soldiers allegedly ransacked the house of Council BG  Guingona in Sta. Catalina.

But the items looted, such as guns and personal items, were later returned, Zagala said, adding that AFP chief General Emmanuel Bautista ordered the immediate arrest of the five soldiers and investigation of the case.

“This is a breach of discipline but at the same time we are glad that the report came from soldiers rather than someone else,” he added.

“These are young soldiers. We don’t tolerate [this conduct]. It does not reflect the Armed Forces who are fighting here. The actions of these five do not reflect the thousands of soldiers fighting here, who are gallantly fighting. We will give them due process but  they will be made answerable for what  they did,” he also said.

Zagala assured that the soldiers will be given due process and will undergo court martial proceedings.

Thousands of troops have been deployed by the AFP to engage  MNLF rebels who started their attack on Sept. 9 in several coastal villages there. As of Tuesday afternoon, at least a hundred been killed and 13 were from the military side. The siege reached its 16th day on Tuesday.