Got a tip? Send it to us at manila@coconuts.co.
This is quite an embarrassment.
“Four U.S. soldiers participating in the ongoing 31st joint Balikatan war exercises inside Fort Magsaysay in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija lost their personal belongings to thieves on Wednesday, April 22,” reports Manny Galvez in The Philippine Star.
The four soldiers were identified as Sgt. Scotty Wilson, Sgt. Dwayne Massey, Lt. Patrick Tierney, and Lt. Thomas Dunne.
The report noted: “Palayan police chief Supt. Leandro Novilla said the military police company (MPC) inside the 7th Infantry Division headquarters has confirmed that the robbery incident transpired at around 1 a.m. on April 9 at the Exercise Relation Construction (ERC) building of the Southern Command (SoCom).”
It turns out that the robbers gained entry by digging a hole beneath a perimeter fence. They took army boots and a wallet containing US$2,000 and an undetermined amount of pesos, among other items.
Novilla revealed that “the police report came in late because the military ‘conducted their own investigation and did not inform us.'” He pointed out, “It’s mysterious how the burglars could just go inside with ease. You can’t just break in since it’s a military camp.”
According to Supt. Ronald Joseph Ocaya, deputy provincial director for administration, “intelligence operatives are scouring nearby barangays to identify possible witnesses who could provide information on the incident.”
Photo: Ramon F. Velasquez (WikiCommons)
