Army man who killed 2 soldiers is captured in Mindanao

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / September 15, 2009) – Government troops have captured an infantryman who killed two soldiers and wounded another in a shooting spree near an army base in the southern Philippines, officials said Tuesday.

Colonel Jonathan Ponce, a spokesman for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said the soldier - Private First Class Jefferson Brillo – was captured late Monday after he was tracked down on a remote village in Barira town in Maguindanao province.

“He will face charges for killing the two soldiers and the wounding of another army trooper,” Ponce said told the Mindanao Examiner.

Brillo shot his commander Sergeant Alex Guimata and Corporal Ernesto Dumaboc in a fit of rage after he was reprimanded for drinking.

Another soldier, Corporal Randy Lainera, is recuperating at a military hospital after being shot also. Brillo escaped after the shooting. Ponce said the soldier broke several bones after he jumped from a cliff to evade pursuing troops. He was brought to hospital, he said.

The sergeant confronted Brillo, a sentinel at a detachment of 38th Infantry Battalion in Tugaig village in Barira town, after he was caught drinking at a store near the battalion headquarters.

Brillo, who was supposed to man the detachment, went to his bunker and returned armed with automatic rifle and then without warning opened fire on the soldiers before escaping on foot, Ponce said.

Early this month, an infantryman, Technical Sergeant Policarpio dela Cruz, also shot and killed two army soldiers and injured five others after he opened fire on them at an army base also in the town.

The shooter was also shot and wounded by other soldiers. Those killed in the shooting were identified as Sergeant Bernard de Guzman and Private First Class Christopher Pagatpatan. While the wounded were Lieutenant Colonel Aniceto Vicente, Major Fe Ea, Second Lieutenant Grace Sumalbag, Sergeant Ronaldo Saraza and Corporal Dennis Bergante.

The motive of the shooting is still unknown, but the army spokesman said Dela Cruz was observed to be acting abnormally before the attack. (Mindanao Examiner)