No military aid cut to RP, but US concerned over killings

WASHINGTON – The US will not reduce  its military aid to the Philippines, but the US Congress has expressed concern over extrajudicial killings in the country.

The US House and Senate Appropriations Committees voted to increase foreign military financing assistance to the Philippines to $30 million from the $11.1 million requested by the Bush administration for fiscal year 2008, effectively retaining the amount of FMF for the previous year.

At the same time, the      committees voted to increase economic support funds (ESF) to the Philippines to $30 million from $25.9 million for the fiscal year, which starts Oct.1.

But the committees expressed deep concern over reports of extra-judicial killings by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) and warned of possible repercussions.

The committees directed the State Department to report not later than 90 days after enactment of HR 2764, the department’s foreign appropriations bill on the status of investigations into extrajudicial killings and gross violations of human rights by the AFP and the PNP.

House bill HR 2764 said FMF not to exceed $30 million, the same level as that of FY 2007, may be made available to the Philippines in 2008.

It said an additional $2 million may be made available when the Secretary of State reports to the Committees on Appropriations that “the Philippine military is not engaging in acts of intimidation or violence against members of legal organizations who advocate for human rights.”

The Bush administration’s budget proposals for fiscal year 2008 seek to reduce deficits each year and balance the budget by 2012.

The proposals provide a starting point for negotiations with Congress, which has a final say over government expenditures.

But there is no guarantee the recommendations of the appropriations committees will remain untouched when the issue is brought to the floor of the House and the Senate for final voting.

It was not known why the FMF program to the Philippines in the State Department budget was slashed to $11.1 million.

The program provides grants for the acquisition of US defense equipment, services and training.

For fiscal year 2007 the State Department proposed $17.6 million in FMF to the Philippines, which Congress voted to increase to $30 million.

Last March, Sen. Barbara Boxer, chairman of the Senate foreign relations subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific affairs, chastised the Arroyo administration for not taking “sufficient” action to address unresolved killings, and warned strings may be attached to US military aid to the Philippines to safeguard human rights.

The House committee in a report on its web site said it expected a portion of the ESF funds to be used to support peace efforts between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, including through the United States Institute for Peace.

“The committee urges the administration to request additional support if a permanent peace accord is achieved,” the statement said.

Other recommendations include $2,000,000 in international narcotics control and law enforcement (INCLE) funding for the Philippines, which is $850,000 above the Bush administration’s request.