3ID has no room for wayward soldiers, says chief
The Philippine Army's 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) has no room for undisciplined, defiant, and inept soldiers. Brigadier General Nestor Ochoa, 3ID Commanding General, stressed this following the involvement of a member of the 11th Infantry Battalion in an indiscriminate firing incident at Guihulngan, Negros Occidental.
As he warned Army personnel in the area, Ochoa said that they already initiated investigation to find the culpability, if any, of PFC Pareñas.
"I assure our people, especially the complainants, that there would be no whitewash in the ongoing probe," he added. Further, the 3ID commander added, "it's disheartening to note that this isolated case might smear the good image of the Phil. Army. And we won't allow a single member to tarnish the whole organization where the rest of us have labored on."
Ochoa issued the word of warning after PFC Pareñas allegedly fired upon three persons at around 7 p.m. of July 4. While on board his motorcycle, he Pareñas allegedly indulged on a shooting binge against three civilians to include Brgy. Capt. Mimis of Brgy. McKinley and Masicampo of Brgy. Nagsaha, Guihulngan town. After the incident, he sped off to the direction of San Carlos City. Apart from that, Guihulngan PNP also apprehended him after he figured in another incident at Brgy. T-Hill. Pareñas is now under custody at the 11th Infantry Battalion headquarters.
Police recovered from him a caliber .45 pistol loaded with live ammunitions and a mobile phone.
A press release from the 3ID public affairs division said that Pareñas was already put under restriction and was previously reprimanded for being "maoy." But prior to the incident, Pareñas forced his way out of the camp.