7 troopers probed for boy’s fatal shooting

The Philippine Army has restricted to barracks seven soldiers tagged in the fatal shooting of a 12-yearold boy they mistook for a New People’s Army (NPA) guerrilla in Toril district, Davao City on Friday.

A board of inquiry has been created to investigate the killing of Daniel Ferrer in Barangay Baracatan, according to Capt. Rhyan Batchar, 10th Infantry Division public affairs office chief.

Batchar said the 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion, to which the grounded soldiers belong, gave financial assistance for the victim’s burial.

The order against the seven came even as the victim’s parents said they would not press charges.

“The execution of an affidavit of desistance of the boy’s parents will not prevent the special operations command (Socom) from investigating the incident,” Batchar said.

The investigation, he said, would determine the liability of the soldiers.

He gave the assurance that the BOI and the investigation to be conducted by the Socom would not preclude any probe that may be conducted by other government agencies.

Initial investigation showed the soldiers were conducting security patrol when they saw two men, one of them carrying a firearm.

Thinking that the men were rebels, the troopers fired at them, killing the boy and wounding his uncle, who was identified as Danilo Pile.

The soldiers recovered the firearm, which turned out to be an air gun apparently being used by the victims for hunting.