MANILA (UPDATED) - The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will investigate a hazing video by two alleged members of the military on candidate soldiers.
AFP spokesman Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc on Wednesday said the military is still trying to find out which unit the two alleged soldiers belong and if they are real soldiers.
“We already saw the video. We are leaving it to the Army to conduct the investigation because it looks like that the perpetrators of the alleged torture are Army personnel,”spokesman Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc said.
A 10-minute video was posted by one "CRIS CRISTV" on the YouTube last November 1. It remains unclear when or where the incident happened.
The video showed several men, some wearing camouflage pants, mauling and hitting with sticks their victims who are clad in military uniform.
“The 9th Infantry Division is doing something to solve this problem though we wouldn’t want to pre-empt the investigation,” Cabunoc said.
The 9th ID is based in the Bicol region.“Our training institutions teach us to respect rights of ordinary civilians and likewise of our fellow soldiers,” Cabunoc said. “There were portions of the video that is really not right, they (perpetrators) were hurting, hitting the (alleged) soldiers...I wouldn’t want to say they are indeed soldiers or they look like soldiers,” said Cabunoc.
Cabunoc, however, was coy on whether hitting soldiers is allowed during their training.
“It depends on the purpose because there are special training in special units. I would not mention the special training which may be interpreted as negative if seen by ordinary civilians,” he said.
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