Left Flank

American troops are arriving in Mindanao for the annual Balikatan exercises, which stress an humanitarian mission. But, there seems to be a problem with the chain of command between the Americans and Filipinos.

US forces participating in the exercise will stay at Bitanag, about 2 kilometers from the Panamao hospital, where American security concerns recently caused tension among the local staff.

Dr. Silak Lakkian, hospital chief, said a M/Sgt. Ron Berg had ordered the local personnel to shut down the facility during the night effective Nov. 30 and had threatened to shoot anyone defying the order.

She said the workers found out how serious Berg was when they once tried to switch on the hospital's generator after 6 p.m. Berg called her on the phone and ordered her to switch off the generator, which provides electricity at night.

An investigation later showed that no such order had been issued by US officials.

Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan said Maj. Eric Walker of the US forces later apologized to Lakkian.

Rafael said the incident was unfortunate. He said Filipino Marine commanders in the area should have informed the local staff instead of the Americans. Rafael said US forces were only trying to protect the hospital as a red alert status was in force in Panamao then.

«It was just a misunderstanding in communication, when the Americans spoke in English and the other did not understand,» he said.

Rafael said the investigation had been completed and that he was submitting a full report on the incident.

In Zamboanga City, Maj. Gen. Nelson Allaga, Western Mindanao command chief, said there was no need to sanction the American soldier responsible for the closure order on the Panamao hospital.

M/Sgt. Berg certainly knows how to go "green to gold".