Former Philippine soldier held for bank robbery

Manila: Philippine police have arrested a former soldier for his part in the murder of 10 people during a bank robbery in Cabuyao, Laguna, officials said on Friday.

Manila police chief Geary Barias said the former trooper was arrested on Saturday at a military housing area in Manila, where he had been in hiding for almost two weeks.

"A nine-year-old girl has positively identified him as among the armed men that went inside the bank," Barias said, adding that police are preparing criminal charges against the former soldier.

Earlier, police recommended robbery with multiple murder charges against five other men, including a security guard working at the bank and two former soldiers.

Only the security guard and one other man are being held and a manhunt is on for the others.