Home
MANILA,
Philippines—Anger and frustration grip low-level officers and soldiers
in Mindanao, where a Moro secessionist war and communist insurgency
fester, in the wake of reports that top officials of the Armed Forces of
the Philippines pocketed huge sums from the military budget at their
expense.
Active and retired generals themselves are alarmed at how an exposé
about a huge slush fund for chiefs of staff and other top military
officials has damaged not only the reputation of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines but also that of its officers and soldiers.
In Manila, the Association of Generals and Flag Officers (AGFO) said
the exposé on large-scale misuse of military funds by some former chiefs
of staff was “disconcerting and demoralizing to the serving men and
women of the AFP and those who have served it with honor, self-sacrifice
and dignity.”
In a statement, AGFO, whose council of elders held an emergency
meeting on Tuesday, supported a Senate probe of the AFP slush fund,
saying officials found guilty of diverting military funds for their
personal use should be punished.
A Scout Ranger in Basilan said he was not surprised why soldiers were
dying in the field because of lack of equipment and support.
“If the funds were used properly, our casualties would have been lower,” he said.
Shocking
An Army officer in the field said what was more shocking to soldiers
and junior officers alike was the fact that there were enough funds in
the military but they could not get what they needed because it only
went to a few people.
“It was depressing when you hear the money is there but our basic needs are not given,” the officer said.
A former military budget officer said some P160 million had been
allotted for Diomedio Villanueva when he retired in May 2002 after only
14 months as AFP chief of staff.
Whistle-blower George Rabusa said Monday he delivered a total of P164
million to then AFP comptroller Carlos Garcia, his then boss who, he
assumed, turned over the money to Villanueva.
Rabusa said Villanueva and Roy Cimatu, who replaced Villanueva as AFP
chief of staff, received more than P50 million each in send-off money.
Rabusa, a budget officer from 2000 to 2002, said that like Angelo
Reyes, the predecessor of Villanueva and Cimatu, the two generals
received P5 million monthly as part of the standard practice.
At a Senate hearing last week, Rabusa disclosed that Reyes was gifted
P50 million when he retired in March 2001 after just 20 months in
office. Villanueva and Cimatu had a P10-million startup fund each, the
former budget officer said.
The slush fund also allegedly benefited the Office of the AFP Vice
Chief of Staff (P1.5 million plus P300,000 a month), deputy chief of
staff (P1.5 million a month) and the secretary of the joint chiefs of
staff (P1 million a month).
Other recipients were the senior military aide to then President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the military auditor, the House legislative
officer, retired generals, the surgeon general and the chief nurse.
Death on battlefield
For lack of transportation, many soldiers died on the battlefield from loss of blood, said a Marine captain in Basilan.
“The situation could have been remedied if only there were enough helicopters, if there was money for fuel,” he said.
Goggles, not press release
The captain said the number of casualties would have been reduced if
soldiers were equipped with modern weaponry and gadgets that could help
them fight the enemy even in the dark.
“If we actually have the equipment such as night vision goggles and
not just press releases, if we had enough bullets and modern weapons,
our soldiers would not be dying,” the officer added.
Low morale
A military officer in Compostela Valley province said the slush fund
was condemnable because while troops in the field were experiencing low
morale, generals were pampering themselves.
“The exposés (on hefty send-off money to retiring AFP officials)
certainly would result in lower morale among us fighting in the field.
While our high-ranking officers who are just cooling themselves in their
offices receive big sums of pabaon during retirement, many of our
requests for supplies in the field were not given,” a lieutenant colonel
told the Inquirer by phone.
Unfair
He said it was unfair on the part of ordinary, ill-equipped soldiers to risk their lives on the battlefield.
Another officer in the province noted that thousands of howitzer shells
failed to fire in the battles against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
in 2000.
The officer said he welcomed Rabusa’s decision to testify and detail the corruption in the military.
But for a corporal assigned in the hinterlands of Compostela Valley, it
should not become a never-ending investigation. “Someone has to be
prosecuted and punished,” he said.
A colonel in Maguindanao province said Rabusa’s exposé and the case of Garcia were just “the tip of the iceberg.”
Break tradition
He said the problem before was that most senior level officers were
silent on the issue because of the tradition of protecting a fellow
PMAyer, a term referring to graduates of the Philippine Military
Academy.
“Sometimes the military tradition, only known to the PMAyers, is
disadvantageous to ordinary foot soldiers,” he said. “That tradition
must be broken.”
The Army colonel in Central Mindanao, who is not a PMAyer, said that practically all officials in the AFP knew that “tradition.”
“This is one of the reasons why junior officers are getting restive
and had sought to effect change in the system even if it is against the
law, like a coup d’ etat,” he said.
Balikatan fund mess
For other ordinary soldiers, that tradition could be the reason for
the military hierarchy’s hasty decision to clear former Western Mindanao
Command chief Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo, who had been linked to the
Balikatan Fund mess allegation.
Navy Lt. Nancy Gadian had accused Cedo of pocketing a huge sum from the fund.
While Cedo was cleared, Gadian was charged for the alleged illegal disbursement of some P42 million in military funds.
Allowances, combat pay
Another colonel said there should also be an investigation of whether
other funds—such as allowances or combat pay—were being used correctly.
He said while generals were enjoying their millions from corruption
and the misuse of funds, ordinary soldiers had to wait for months to get
their allowances.
“And this demoralized them,” a captain, said.
No funds for small house
An Army sergeant said he did not dream of becoming a millionaire when
he entered the service. A small house on his own land would be enough
for him and his family.
“I have been trying to secure a loan of P300,000 for three years now
and it has not been approved yet because of alleged lack of funds. Look
at them, they have millions and they might not even know where to keep
the money,” he said.
Brig. Gen. Nicanor Dolojan, Task Force Basilan commander, however,
said the media should stay away from ordinary troops because questions
on the pabaon or the Garcia case might affect their performance in the
field.
Adm. Alexander Pama, Navy Flag Officer in Command, said what the
military was doing was explain these issues to the ground forces so they
could be informed properly.
During his visit in Basilan, Pama
faced questions on the delayed release of the clothing allowance, the
delayed release of night fighting equipment and overdue promotions.
AGFO neutral
In a statement, AGFO president, retired Lt. Gen. Raul Urgello, said
the probe into the slush fund should determine the truth, lead to the
prosecution of the guilty and clearing the names of the innocent.
“We are not exculpating any of the accused who at this stage have to defend themselves from their accusers,” Urgello said.
Urgello said that Reyes must face the charges against him and that AGFO would remain neutral.
Among the two dozen generals who participated in the emergency
meeting of the council of elders in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City were
Renato de Villa and Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon who served as chiefs
of staff under the late President Corazon Aquino. With a report from Dona Z. Pazzibugan
original link: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Philippines—Anger and frustration grip low-level officers and soldiers
in Mindanao, where a Moro secessionist war and communist insurgency
fester, in the wake of reports that top officials of the Armed Forces of
the Philippines pocketed huge sums from the military budget at their
expense.
Active and retired generals themselves are alarmed at how an exposé
about a huge slush fund for chiefs of staff and other top military
officials has damaged not only the reputation of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines but also that of its officers and soldiers.
In Manila, the Association of Generals and Flag Officers (AGFO) said
the exposé on large-scale misuse of military funds by some former chiefs
of staff was “disconcerting and demoralizing to the serving men and
women of the AFP and those who have served it with honor, self-sacrifice
and dignity.”
In a statement, AGFO, whose council of elders held an emergency
meeting on Tuesday, supported a Senate probe of the AFP slush fund,
saying officials found guilty of diverting military funds for their
personal use should be punished.
A Scout Ranger in Basilan said he was not surprised why soldiers were
dying in the field because of lack of equipment and support.
“If the funds were used properly, our casualties would have been lower,” he said.
Shocking
An Army officer in the field said what was more shocking to soldiers
and junior officers alike was the fact that there were enough funds in
the military but they could not get what they needed because it only
went to a few people.
“It was depressing when you hear the money is there but our basic needs are not given,” the officer said.
A former military budget officer said some P160 million had been
allotted for Diomedio Villanueva when he retired in May 2002 after only
14 months as AFP chief of staff.
Whistle-blower George Rabusa said Monday he delivered a total of P164
million to then AFP comptroller Carlos Garcia, his then boss who, he
assumed, turned over the money to Villanueva.
Rabusa said Villanueva and Roy Cimatu, who replaced Villanueva as AFP
chief of staff, received more than P50 million each in send-off money.
Rabusa, a budget officer from 2000 to 2002, said that like Angelo
Reyes, the predecessor of Villanueva and Cimatu, the two generals
received P5 million monthly as part of the standard practice.
At a Senate hearing last week, Rabusa disclosed that Reyes was gifted
P50 million when he retired in March 2001 after just 20 months in
office. Villanueva and Cimatu had a P10-million startup fund each, the
former budget officer said.
The slush fund also allegedly benefited the Office of the AFP Vice
Chief of Staff (P1.5 million plus P300,000 a month), deputy chief of
staff (P1.5 million a month) and the secretary of the joint chiefs of
staff (P1 million a month).
Other recipients were the senior military aide to then President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the military auditor, the House legislative
officer, retired generals, the surgeon general and the chief nurse.
Death on battlefield
For lack of transportation, many soldiers died on the battlefield from loss of blood, said a Marine captain in Basilan.
“The situation could have been remedied if only there were enough helicopters, if there was money for fuel,” he said.
Goggles, not press release
The captain said the number of casualties would have been reduced if
soldiers were equipped with modern weaponry and gadgets that could help
them fight the enemy even in the dark.
“If we actually have the equipment such as night vision goggles and
not just press releases, if we had enough bullets and modern weapons,
our soldiers would not be dying,” the officer added.
Low morale
A military officer in Compostela Valley province said the slush fund
was condemnable because while troops in the field were experiencing low
morale, generals were pampering themselves.
“The exposés (on hefty send-off money to retiring AFP officials)
certainly would result in lower morale among us fighting in the field.
While our high-ranking officers who are just cooling themselves in their
offices receive big sums of pabaon during retirement, many of our
requests for supplies in the field were not given,” a lieutenant colonel
told the Inquirer by phone.
Unfair
He said it was unfair on the part of ordinary, ill-equipped soldiers to risk their lives on the battlefield.
Another officer in the province noted that thousands of howitzer shells
failed to fire in the battles against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
in 2000.
The officer said he welcomed Rabusa’s decision to testify and detail the corruption in the military.
But for a corporal assigned in the hinterlands of Compostela Valley, it
should not become a never-ending investigation. “Someone has to be
prosecuted and punished,” he said.
A colonel in Maguindanao province said Rabusa’s exposé and the case of Garcia were just “the tip of the iceberg.”
Break tradition
He said the problem before was that most senior level officers were
silent on the issue because of the tradition of protecting a fellow
PMAyer, a term referring to graduates of the Philippine Military
Academy.
“Sometimes the military tradition, only known to the PMAyers, is
disadvantageous to ordinary foot soldiers,” he said. “That tradition
must be broken.”
The Army colonel in Central Mindanao, who is not a PMAyer, said that practically all officials in the AFP knew that “tradition.”
“This is one of the reasons why junior officers are getting restive
and had sought to effect change in the system even if it is against the
law, like a coup d’ etat,” he said.
Balikatan fund mess
For other ordinary soldiers, that tradition could be the reason for
the military hierarchy’s hasty decision to clear former Western Mindanao
Command chief Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo, who had been linked to the
Balikatan Fund mess allegation.
Navy Lt. Nancy Gadian had accused Cedo of pocketing a huge sum from the fund.
While Cedo was cleared, Gadian was charged for the alleged illegal disbursement of some P42 million in military funds.
Allowances, combat pay
Another colonel said there should also be an investigation of whether
other funds—such as allowances or combat pay—were being used correctly.
He said while generals were enjoying their millions from corruption
and the misuse of funds, ordinary soldiers had to wait for months to get
their allowances.
“And this demoralized them,” a captain, said.
No funds for small house
An Army sergeant said he did not dream of becoming a millionaire when
he entered the service. A small house on his own land would be enough
for him and his family.
“I have been trying to secure a loan of P300,000 for three years now
and it has not been approved yet because of alleged lack of funds. Look
at them, they have millions and they might not even know where to keep
the money,” he said.
Brig. Gen. Nicanor Dolojan, Task Force Basilan commander, however,
said the media should stay away from ordinary troops because questions
on the pabaon or the Garcia case might affect their performance in the
field.
Adm. Alexander Pama, Navy Flag Officer in Command, said what the
military was doing was explain these issues to the ground forces so they
could be informed properly.
During his visit in Basilan, Pama
faced questions on the delayed release of the clothing allowance, the
delayed release of night fighting equipment and overdue promotions.
AGFO neutral
In a statement, AGFO president, retired Lt. Gen. Raul Urgello, said
the probe into the slush fund should determine the truth, lead to the
prosecution of the guilty and clearing the names of the innocent.
“We are not exculpating any of the accused who at this stage have to defend themselves from their accusers,” Urgello said.
Urgello said that Reyes must face the charges against him and that AGFO would remain neutral.
Among the two dozen generals who participated in the emergency
meeting of the council of elders in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City were
Renato de Villa and Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon who served as chiefs
of staff under the late President Corazon Aquino. With a report from Dona Z. Pazzibugan
original link: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]