QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will conduct an investigation into the bungled government airstrike in Marawi City that resulted in the death of 11 soldiers and injured several others.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana ordered the investigation, which will be headed by AFP Chief of Staff General Eduardo Año.
The AFP has already recovered the bodies of the dead soldiers.
The government’s failed airstrike was part of the government’s offensive Wednesday to destroy the remaining Maute fighters who are being reportedly aided by members of the Abu Sayyaf group and by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Marawi City
Lorenzana said in a news briefing that two light military aircraft trainer SF260TP jets had been used for the strike, but that the second one had failed to hit its target. It hit instead members of the 55th Infantry Battalion.
“The first plane dropped the ordnance accurately, pero yung pangalawa sumablay. Tumama sa tropa natin… There must be some mistake there,” he said.
