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The BDF is currently on the hunt for an M4 carbine rifle that was stolen from Camp Belizario. The weapon was being stored in the "standby room" to allow for quick access for the unit that was currently on standby - basically the BDF's Quick Response Force. But sometime on Tuesday night, it was taken.
Now, it's in the wind - whereabouts unknown, and several soldiers are confined pending the investigation. The chief of staff, Lt. Col. Ricardo Leal told us more today.
Lt. Col. Ricardo Leal, Chief of Staff, BDF
"Presently, at the moment, the investigation is ongoing but what we can reveal is that a subunit of the unit in Camp Belizario was responsible to provide standby duties. The standby duties is normally for a 7 day period. We are not able to establish at the moment when actually the weapon went missing, however, we do have persons of interest. What I would like to say as well is as the investigation is going on at the moment, we have teams on the ground and we are working in collaboration with the police department to find out what transpired so we can end this case."
Reporter:
"So it is believed it was an inside job?"
Lt. Col. Ricardo Leal, Chief of Staff, BDF
"For now, I would say yes."
"Actually what happens, normally we would secure it in a different location so we are trying to ascertain if the weapon was taken from somebody who might have had the key, or somebody would have done something to breach the security in terms of picking the lock or whatever. But we don't know at the moment but we know that it's taken from the actual safe that we have the weapons."
Reporter:
"Is there anyone who was maybe supposed to be guarding that room or that weapon?"
Lt. Col. Ricardo Leal, Chief of Staff, BDF
"Yes, well, normally, security is security, there is no 100% security. But yes we do have people that are responsible or obligated to secure or take care of these weapons."
Reporter:
"And are they suspects, or are they getting reprimanded for leaving their post?"
Lt. Col. Ricardo Leal, Chief of Staff, BDF
"Well the investigation in ongoing and so we'll leave that for now. But as I've said, we have people of interest and this is where we're going to narrow our focus."
Reporter:
"The question is whether they are on suspension, on leave, while that investigation is ongoing?"
Lt. Col. Ricardo Leal, Chief of Staff, BDF
"Well at the moment we have them confined, we cannot just send people on suspension because we don't know the outcome of the investigation, but they are confined at the moment."
Reporter:
"Is there any evidence as to whether the lock was broken?"
Lt. Col. Ricardo Leal, Chief of Staff, BDF
"The investigation is ongoing and we are not sure at the moment."
Reporter:
"What kind of lock was is?"
Lt. Col. Ricardo Leal, Chief of Staff, BDF
"Just a regular lock that we use for securing, just a huge padlock."
Reporter:
"Word on the ground is that there was an offer made to some BDF members to provide these high powered weapons and they'd be paid money. Is that the information that you're picking up?"
Lt. Col. Ricardo Leal, Chief of Staff, BDF
"Okay that is speculation and we don't deal with speculation, we deal with the facts."
Leal mentioned that the weapon likely does not have any rounds in it since they keep ammunition stored separately.
