Army major, sergeant nabbed for pilferage

ZAMBOANGA CITY — An ammunition and supply officer and an Army sergeant were arrested last Wednesday after they were caught pilfering ammunition, the Armed Forces Southern Command (Southcom) said.

Southcom chief Maj. Gen. Gabriel Habacon identified the two as Maj. Rauline Diploma and Sgt. Benido Damacino, both assigned to the 9th Forward Service Support Unit (FSSU) of the Army Support Command at Camp Enrile in Barangay Malagutay here.

The arrest was made after the commanding officer of the 9th FSSU had received reports about the pilferage of firearms and ammunition and sought the help of Task Force Zamboanga and the Army intelligence unit at Camp Enrile.

Habacon said an M-16 rifle, three caliber .45 pistols, 810 caliber .45 bullets, and 200 caliber .30 bullets were found in Diploma’s closet.

Damacino, for his part, turned over 500 caliber .45 bullets to the 9th FSSU commander after he was investigated.

Two enlisted personnel suspected to be also involved in the pilferage have been placed under investigation.

According to Southcom, a soldier is only authorized to have in his possession a rifle and a pistol with basic load of bullets.

Habacon said Maj. Gen. Ernesto Boac, commanding general of the Army Support Command, ordered that Diploma and Damacino be turned over to their headquarters in Fort Bonifacio to face the consequences of their acts.

Earlier, Habacon had ordered the Army intelligence unit to conduct counter-intelligence operations against military personnel involved in illegal activities.

"The Armed Forces does not tolerate scalawags in its ranks," he said. — With Jaime Laude