Military pulls FA-50 fighter jets out of Marawi after ‘friendly fire’ deaths

All FA-50 fighter jets of the military have been pulled out of war-torn Marawi City following a "friendly fire" incident that killed two soldiers and injured 11 others, the Armed Forces of the Philippines announced Thursday.

"The FA-50 will momentarily be pulled out from deployment until the investigation is finished and once we ascertain the reason why the bombs went off target," AFP spokesperson Restituto Padilla said in a news conference.

"The AFP is suspending the use of that particular aircraft. For any further airstrike until such time that the cause of the accident has been determined, or the failure of the equipment has been determined," he added.

Padilla noted that this was the first time a bomb from the FA-50 jets had gone off target, saying the jets have been effective in its air support missions in the past.

"The success rate of the aircraft is very high. Out of almost 70 missions that were conducted, this was the only time when you had one wayward bomb from a pool of four that would not hit its target directly," he said.

Lt. Col. Jo-ar Herrera of Task Force Marawi earlier revealed that two soldiers were killed while 11 others were injured when an air raid missed its target during an operation on Wednesday noon.

Padilla emphasized that the bomb did not directly hit the soldiers, noting that its ensuing blast caused one of the nearby buildings to collapse.

"The bomb didn't hit our men, it hit an area approximate to where they were which caused the collapse of the building," he said, adding most of the buildings in Marawi City's commercial district are already unstable due to constant bombings.

This is the second time that a military jet missed its target in Marawi City. Ten soldiers were killed in a similar incident on May 31.

The AFP has a total of 12 FA-50 fighter jets in its inventory which were acquired by the Aquino administration from Korean Aerospace Industries worth P18.9 billion. The aircraft arrived in batches from 2015 till May this year.

Padilla clarified that the FA-50 pullout, however, would not prevent the military from deploying its other air assets in Marawi City.

He said it is also too early to call the incident as a case of pilot error. "We have no reason to say that it was the fault of the pilot, yet, until we have finished the investigation."

Ground commanders' call to use airstrikes

Asked if airstrikes are still feasible in Marawi City, Padilla replied the decision lies with commanders who have better information on the threats troops face in the battlefield.

Padilla said any support called in by commanders is always aimed at ensuring the safety and lessen the casualties of his troops.

"Whatever the commander decides, that is what he thinks is best for his troops. Because as a commander, I will manage the risks that my men will face," Padilla said.

"If my men face a very high risk before they enter a specific area, it is my obligation to soften the targets for them to lessen my number of casualties. Let's give the commander that prerogative," he added. — MDM/KVD/RSJ, GMA News