AFP to cooperate in hearings on Rabusa exposé

MANILA, Philippines -  The military vowed yesterday to cooperate with authorities hearing the cases filed against three former Armed Forces chiefs and other officers tagged in the alleged misuse of funds during the previous administration.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr. said they will make available all resources needed to resolve the cases.

“It has always been our position to seek the truth,” he said.

“That’s the bottom line and with that in mind, we’ll have to make available people and other requirements that might be needed in pursuit of that objective.”

Speaking after the closing ceremonies of the Balikatan exercises in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Oban said they will allow military personnel who know something about the alleged anomalies to testify.

“In case there will be requirements pertaining to the presence or availability of personnel who might have some knowledge on the allegations, then we’ll make them available,” he said.

However, Oban said the military would not go as far as filing other charges against the individuals tagged in the irregularities.

“That’s (filing of other case) already at the level of the court,” he said.

Last Thursday, former military budget officer George Rabusa filed plunder charges against 17 officials, including three former military chiefs, before the Department of Justice.

Named respondents were retired AFP chiefs Diomedio Villanueva, Roy Cimatu, and Efren Abu; former military comptrollers Jacinto Ligot and Carlos Garcia, retired major generals Hilario Atendido and Epineto Logico; retired colonels Roy Devesa and Cirilo Donato; and retired Lt. Col. Ernesto Paranis.

Respondents still in military service are Brig. Gen. Benito de Leon, chief of the AFP management and fiscal office; Colonels Robert Arevalo and Gilbert Gapay, Navy Capt. Kenneth Paglinawan, and Maj. Emerson Angulo.

Civilian respondents are former Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines resident auditor Divina Cabrera and accountant Generoso del Castillo.

Rabusa, who had admitted benefiting from the malpractices, said he has receipts, checks, and other documents to prove that the respondents used their posts to amass wealth.

“Respondents took advantage of their official positions, authority, and influence to unjustly enrich themselves at the expense and to the damage and prejudice of the Filipino people and the Republic of the Philippines,” he said in his 86-page complaint.

In an earlier interview, defense department spokesman Eduardo Batac said they will support the filing of charges if there is sufficient evidence.

“If there is evidence that would merit the filing of cases then we will support the effort for the prosecution of the alleged offenders,” he said.

“As the SND (secretary of national defense) has committed, let the axe fall where it will fall.”

AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr. said the charges filed by Rabusa should not be taken against the current AFP leadership.

“We feel sad that there is a growing perception that it (anomalies) is still happening right now. By and large, most of these exposés are a thing in the past,” he said.

Mabanta said various measures have been taken to improve the AFP’s financial system.

Rabusa said some military funds had to be diverted to ensure the availability of the sendoff money.

Rabusa said former AFP chief Angelo Reyes got P50 million in sendoff money while former military chiefs Villanueva and Cimatu got P160 million and P80 million.

The three have denied Rabusa’s claims.

Reyes, who was said to be close to Rabusa, committed suicide last Feb. 8 during the height of the controversy.