AFP now using FA-50s in Marawi air strikes: Padilla

June 5, 2017

After the friendly fire incident that killed a total of 10 soldiers in Marawi City, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are using the FA-50 fighter trainer aircraft during the on-going military operation against the terrorist group in the city. “At the very beginning we did not (use FA-50’s) but later on I think we did,” Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said Monday. Padilla said despite the mishap, the AFP did not stop using air strikes on the operation in Marawi city. “The call for aerial support will come from the ground commander and we have not pulled out this option from the cards that he has at hand,” Padilla said. “So he may still call for an air strike or air support on specific targets that he sees as a threat to his forces. It was not stopped. The ground commander has not been denied this capability,” he added. But Padilla said the military is no longer using the SF260 attack trainer plane. “It (SF260’s) is subject for board of inquiry,” he said. “What we did however after that accident is to pull out the type of aircraft that was involved. So we are no longer using that aircraft for airs trikes at the moment until after the investigation is done….The air strikes will still be an option for the ground commander and if need be, he can employ it as much as he wants,” he added. Aside from FA-50’s, the military are using  OV10 aircraft and attack helicopters to neutralized the terrorist group in Marawi. (Robina Asido/DMS)