'No indiscriminate firing by US soldiers in Jolo'

ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines  – A US military commander has clarified that American troops did not fire their guns indiscriminately after a grenade attack at the pier of Jolo in Sulu where they were retrieving logistic supplies last Monday night.

Col. William Coultrup, commander of the US Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P), made this statement after a joined ocular inspection and investigation with Visiting Forces Agreement Commission Secretary Edilberto Adan in Jolo last Thursday. 

Coultrup said only one US soldier, who was providing security along with Philippine Marines, “responded from instinct” and fired his crew-serve machine gun when a concussion grenade packed with concrete nails was hurled and exploded at around 9:40 p.m. Monday.

Coultrup said the US serviceman fired toward the direction of the grenade attack. “It was one burst and that was all. He realized at that point the (Philippine) Marines are on the job – they are out there moving to secure the area,” he said.

Coultrup said their priority in Sulu is to ensure the lives of the residents through security and humanitarian development.

“We take great pains in making sure everything we do benefits the people of Jolo,” he said.

Local officials led by Jolo Mayor Hussin Amin earlier vowed to pursue a complaint against the US troops involved in the incident.

Adan asked the Task Force Comet commander to refine standard operation procedures in terms of securing the visiting US security forces to avert a similar attack against them.

He said the response of the troops was proportionate to the attack and that there were no massive retaliation and indiscriminate firing moments after the blast.

“It is a possibility that a group staged that (grenade attack) to discredit the presence of the visiting forces,” he said.

“Of course, the other possibility is, these are terrorists meant to attack either the AFP or the US forces which are doing a lot of good projects, and the people of Sulu appreciate these projects very much,” he added. 

In Koronadal City, US Ambassador Kristie Kenney defended the presence of US troops in Mindanao, saying they are not involved in direct combat operations.          – With Ramil Bajo