Soldier kills 5 colleagues in Philippines

Five soldiers were killed on Thursday when an army corporal ran amok inside a camp in the Southern Philippines.

Benjamin Hao, the country’s army spokesman, said nine people comprising eight soldiers and one civilian, were wounded in the incident.

He noted that the suspect was killed by troops sent to the army camp in Sumisip town of Basilan province.

“The suspect and the victims were attending a Bible study when he went to the back of the room and opened fire,’’ he said.

“The authorities would look closer at the medical and psychological aspect to determine the root cause of the incident.”

Hao said the unnamed suspect had just returned from vacation but his colleagues said the suspect had become withdrawn recently.