2 Army officers relieved from post after soldier's death in Maguindanao del Sur
'Ongoing investigation pa at hindi pa natin ma-rule out ang exact cause. Two officers were relieved and 21 enlisted personnel ang kasama sa iniimbestigahan,' Philippine Army spokesperson Colonel Louie Dema-ala said.
(The investigation is still ongoing and we have not yet ruled out the exact cause. Two officers were relieved and 21 enlisted personnel are among those being investigated.)
Dema-ala said Private Charlie G. Patigayon passed away while on duty at his unit in Maguindanao del Sur on July 30.
He said that the Philippine Army, in strict adherence to the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018, upholds a zero-tolerance policy against any practices that endanger the safety and well-being of its personnel.
'The individuals involved in the incident have been immediately relieved of their duties and are currently under investigation,' Dema-ala said.
'We assure Pvt. Patigayon's family that the Philippine Army is committed to pursuing justice. Should the investigation confirm wrongdoing, those responsible will be held fully accountable under the military justice system and all applicable laws,' he added.
The Philippine Army expressed condolences and vowed assistance to Patigayon's family.
'During this difficult time, the Army is providing all necessary assistance and support to the bereaved family. While no form of compensation can ever replace the life of a soldier, we are committed to honoring Pvt. Patigayon's service and to easing the burden on his loved ones,' Dema-ala said. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
8 hours ago
- GMA Network
Five US soldiers shot at Georgia base, suspect in custody
U.S. Soldiers assigned to 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, climb over a berm during Seize the Marne as part of Salute to Summer at Fort Stewart, Georgia, June 27, 2025. ( ATLANTA —Five U.S. soldiers were shot and wounded at the Fort Stewart base in the state of Georgia on Wednesday, and the suspected shooter is in custody, Army officials said. The soldiers were treated on site and then transported to Winn Army Community Hospital for further treatment, Fort Stewart said in a Facebook post. Authorities did not immediately provide further details on the condition of the victims. "There is no active threat to the community," the post said. Law enforcement responded to reports of a shooting in the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area at 10:56 a.m. ET (1456 GMT), and the base was locked down shortly after 11:04 a.m. The suspect was arrested at 11:35 a.m., Fort Stewart said. The Army did not offer details about the suspect, including whether he or she is a soldier. Governor Brian Kemp wrote on X that he and his family were "saddened by today's tragedy" at the base. "We are keeping the victims, their families, and all those who answer the call to serve in our hearts and prayers, and we ask that Georgians everywhere do the same," he added. President Donald Trump has been briefed on the shooting and is monitoring the situation, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on X. Mass shootings are relatively common in the U.S., where guns are widely available, and military bases, which are among the highest-security places in the country, have not been spared. The deadliest was at the Fort Hood Army base in 2009, when a major fatally shot unarmed soldiers in a medical building with a laser-sighted handgun, killing 13 people and injuring more than 30. Less than five years later, a soldier at the same Texas base fatally shot three service members and injured 16 others before killing himself. In 2013, an employee of a government defense contractor killed 12 people at Washington's Navy Yard. In 2019, a Saudi Air Force lieutenant shot and killed three people and wounded eight others at a U.S. Navy base in Pensacola, Florida. Fort Stewart is located in Hinesville, about 225 miles (362 km) southeast of Atlanta and 40 miles (64 km) southwest of Savannah. Nearly 9,000 people live at the base, according to the 2020 Census. The base supports approximately 15,000 active-duty Army military personnel, as well as thousands of military retirees, family members, and others, according to its website. —Reuters
GMA Network
2 days ago
- GMA Network
House QuadComm gets new life in 20th Congress
The House of Representatives has reestablished the House Quad Committee (QuadComm) for the 20th Congress. This developed after the House, via voice vote, adopted House Resolution 106 filed by Manila Rep. Benny Abante, which establishes the mega committee 'to conduct a joint inquiry in need of legislation to address emerging and unresolved issues brought forth by the joint investigation of the previous Quad Committee during the 19th Congress.' The "House QuadComm 2.0" will still be composed of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, House Committee on Public Order and Safety, House Committee on Human Rights and the House Committee on Accounts. Abante will still be the chairperson of the House Committee on Human Rights, while the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs is chaired by Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores. The House Committee on Accounts is chaired by Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, while the House Committee on Public Order and Safety is chaired by Rep. Rolando Valeriano. The House QuadComm in the 19th Congress investigated the drug war deaths during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte and the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators-related crimes. In pushing for QuadComm 2.0 Abante said there remains a lot to be investigated, including the case of over 30 missing sabungeros or cockfight enthusiasts. 'May nagsasabi na pulitika lang ito (Some say its political). But this is not a partisan crusade, Mr. Speaker. This is a moral one. Because murder knows no color but one: red—the color of blood unjustly spilled,' Abante said. The House QuadComm inquiries resulted in the filing of the proposed Anti-Extrajudicial Killing Act and the Civil Forfeiture Act, which Abante said are important in curbing 'impunity and seizing the ill-gotten wealth of those involved in state-sponsored abuses.' –VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- GMA Network
Senate bill eyes imprisonment, fines for malicious use of AI
A measure seeking prison term and a fine of up to P1 million has been filed in the Senate in a bid to protect individuals against the wrongful and improper use of artificial intelligence (AI). Under Senate Bill No. 782, also known as the Physical Identity Protection Act, filed by Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero, any person responsible for creating, generating, reproducing, duplicating, simulating, distributing, disseminating, or publishing any person's physical attributes without their consent in any media content—-regardless of the medium, platform, or point of access used—-will be held criminally liable. 'While this generative Al technology offers tremendous potential particularly in the fields of business, education and communications, it also presents a profound risk to individuals' rights, privacy and identity. With malicious intent and the help of AI and other similar technology, media content could be exploited in efforts to cause personal harm or undermine public trust,' Escudero said in the explanatory note. The bill prescribes the penalty of imprisonment of one to two years or a fine not exceeding P200,000, or both, for individuals who create, generate or share content containing a person's physical attributes without prior consent or legal basis. If the intention of the illegal content is to acquire financial gain or profit, the penalty shall be jail time of two to four years or a fine of P200,000 to P400,000, or both. The measure also imposes a higher penalty of four to six years imprisonment or a fine of P400,000 to P600,000, or both, for content designed to facilitate or commit crime or fraud. Meanwhile, if the act is done to acquire financial gain or profit and to facilitate or commit a crime or fraud, imprisonment of up to 12 years or a fine of P600,000 to P1 million, or both, will be imposed. If the offender is a public official or employee, he or she will be penalized with absolute perpetual disqualification from public office, on top of the maximum penalties prescribed under the bill. 'These interventions provide the government with the wherewithal to address emerging threats, ensure accountability in the use of Al technologies, and promote creativity and innovation without compromising personal rights and liberties, legitimate speech, journalism and news coverage, academic and educational research, documentary and historical piece and other similar works,' Escudero said in a statement. — Giselle Ombay/RSJ, GMA Integrated News
