Senga okays pullout of Abra unit

Army chief Lt. Gen. Generoso Senga has approved the recommendation of an Army fact-finding team to pull out the entire 41st Infantry Battalion from Abra for retraining.

This, amid allegations that local politicians were using soldiers for their private armies.

Senga, however, said another Army contingent will be detailed to Abra to assume the counter-insurgency duties of the 41st IB.

"While our investigators reported that the situation in Abra is not that alarming, the prevailing condition dictates that the Army is better off withdrawing and replacing our troops in the province," he said.

"The troops, who will be withdrawn, will be required to undergo retraining," he added.

Last week, Senga dispatched a five-man team, headed by Maj. Gen. Bonifacio Ramos, Army Inspector General, to Abra to investigate alleged wrongdoings of soldiers there.

Senga said Armed Forces chief Gen. Efren Abu still has the final say on the 41st IB’s pullout.