Mercy helicopter fired upon?

MANILA, Philippines – A US helicopter on a humanitarian mission appears to have been shot at in Cotabato City, prompting officials of the USNS Mercy hospital ship to suspend the helicopter’s mission.

Army 6th Infantry Division spokesman Col. Julieto Ando said the Seahawk helicopter operating from USNS Mercy hospital ship had gone to pick up 11 passengers when it was apparently shot at it in Polloc Port.

Although no one was reported hurt or killed, two holes were found when the aircraft returned to the ship with the passengers, Ando said.

“The holes appear to be an entry and exit point from a single bullet,” US Navy spokesman Cmdr. Jeff Davis added.

Davis said the pilot was unaware of any bullet striking the aircraft during the flight.

The Mercy is anchored in Cotabato, conducting Pacific Partnership 08, a humanitarian civic assistance mission between nations – and with non-governmental organizations – to provide medical, dental, construction and other services ashore and afloat.

“The USNS Mercy mission commander has ceased all Mercy Pacific Partnership activities until a proper assessment can be made,” Davis said.

US Embassy public affairs counselor Lee McClenny said the Seahawk helicopter might be grounded as a standard operating procedure to determine the cause.

McClenny said the holes were discovered during a routine inspection of the aircraft last Monday.

“Nobody remembers being shot at (so) we can’t say they are bullet holes,” he said.

McClenny said the Seahawk is a type of unarmed helicopter similar to the Blackhawk, which is primarily used for evacuation and rescue operations.

He said the medical mission will still continue even as an investigation is underway.

US Embassy spokesperson Rebecca Thompson, for her part, confirmed the helicopter was shot and damaged.

“One helicopter was damaged but Mercy’s medical and construction projects continue in Mindanao and Samar,” Thompson told The STAR.

On the other hand, nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack, but several armed groups operate in the area, including the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, private armies and criminal gangs.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu condemned the attack.

“This is a humanitarian mission so we are fully supportive of it,” Kabalu said. “Anything to hamper humanitarian action is condemnable.”

Ando said the incident is being investigated. He said the investigation is also focused on the type of firearm used in shooting the aircraft to trace the gunman.

“We’re still trying to determine who could have shot the helicopter. It was just fortunate that no one was killed or injured in the incident,” Ando said.

The USNS Mercy arrived in the country last May 29 for a two-week humanitarian mission in the Visayas and Mindanao.

About 300 medical and construction personnel aboard the hospital ship would provide free health services to 15,000 patients in Cotabato and Western Samar.

The Army’s 6th Infantry Division, on the other hand, is a partner of the USNS Mercy in its medical and dental outreach activities in the region.

Ando said their counterparts from the US Navy have not officially informed them of any plans to pull out following the incident. – AP, James Mananghaya, John Unson, Pia Lee-Brago