Creation of independent office for lifestyle check of AFP top brass sought

Manila, Philippines - A special committee created to look into and investigate the reported widespread corruption in the military has recommended the creation of an independent office to undertake an aggressive lifestyle check on the top brass.

The Special Defense Investigation Committee (SDIC) chaired by lawyer Patrick Velez recommended an independent office to conduct a lifestyle check on top officials to ensure a graft-free Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

The SDIC has Assistant Secretary Fernando Manalo, retired general Fermin de Leon as members, with Angela Andrada and Mirkarl Alian as observers. They concluded that there must be full asset disclosure and lifestyle checks on members of the military.

“The defense department and the Armed Forces of the Philippines is recommended to embark on the following activities to finally address this issue of transformation of the AFP into a graft-free institution,” the SDIC said in a statement.

Among SDIC recommendation is the creation of an office outside of the AFP to aggressively monitor lifestyles of officers, especially those holding key military positions.

Velez and his group called on the Department of National Defense (DND) to create such a group whose members can do their job free of fear and out of reach of officers who are the subjects of their lifestyle checks.

The body also recommended prosecution of an officer found to have a lavish lifestyle without any source of income other than his salary in the military.

“That’s the best recommendation so far. It’s about time that all of us in the service live in accordance with our means. The recommendation is also a reminder that everyone of us must act in accordance with our oath,” a group of junior and middle-grade officers said.

One of the junior officers noted the cycle of corruption in the military has been prevalent because nobody dared to conduct lifestyle checks on fellow officers and their respective families for fear of retribution.

The SDIC also noted the “mistah” culture of relationships and camaraderie among junior-senior military officers, which has been a major factor that contributed to the unabated corruption in the service.

The SDIC was ordered created by Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on January in the wake of the scandals that rocked the AFP following revelations of corruption by witnesses during the Senate investigation of former military comptroller Carlos Garcia.

Garcia was accused of amassing wealth beyond his means and was later tried, convicted and sentenced by a military court for his involvement in the financial scam involving military funds while he was still the military comptroller.

Garcia has since struck a deal with the Ombudsman – a deal for a lesser offense of bribery instead of the plunder, which was approved by the anti-graft court.

The AFP, on the other hand, took the initiative to partner with civil society groups to monitor human rights abuses committed by troops.

AFP public affairs chief Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said a national monitoring mechanism will be formed with the help of state agencies and non-government groups to ensure that all soldiers would uphold human rights.

“The ultimate aim of the proposal is to have a zero-tolerance of extralegal killings and enforced disappearances,” Burgos said.

He said the mechanism will also monitor the progress in resolving cases of unexplained killings and forced abductions.

AFP Human Rights Office chief Col. Domingo Tutaan Jr. met with officials of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and civil society groups last Wednesday to discuss the monitoring scheme.

Tutaan’s proposal covers the objectives of the national monitoring mechanism, its organizational structure, and the process of coordination between government bodies and civil society organizations.

“At present, the proposal undertakes action in the selection of civil society organizations and government agencies which will be assigned as members of specific branches under the national monitoring mechanism,” Burgos said.

The monitoring system will be completed next month. The military is now gathering inputs from human rights advocates and state agencies.

“We will never tolerate or condone any AFP personnel or unit who violates the human rights of any person,” AFP chief Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr. said.

Activists have accused the military of resorting to killings and abductions to silence critics of the government. Militant groups claimed that the AFP’s counter-insurgency efforts have resulted in killings, torture and human rights abuses.                                – With Alexis Romero