AFP: Capability upgrade on track

MANILA, Philippines - The military yesterday vowed to continue upgrading its capabilities and fulfilling its mandate even as the US Congress withholds a portion of US defense assistance to the Philippines because of unexplained killings.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said the military is using its available resources to conduct responsive operations.

“In fulfilling its (AFP) constitutional mandate particularly in addressing various threats from the New People’s Army, Abu Sayyaf and lawless elements, it is relying on its annual budget,” Burgos told The STAR.

“The commitment of the government to allocate funds for the AFP’s modernization and capability upgrade program is unprecedented at this time. Underway is the procurement of various systems and equipment essential in the accomplishment of the AFP’s mission,” he added. 

Burgos said that the ties between the US and Philippine security forces remain strong and “has greatly contributed to the AFP in terms of maintaining force readiness in the region.”

Earlier, US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. revealed that the US Congress continues to withhold a portion of US assistance to the AFP until Manila fulfills conditions related to solving and prosecuting cases of unexplained killings.                  

Thomas made the statement during a meeting with representatives of human rights groups at the US embassy in Manila last Oct. 21.

The groups represented during the meeting were the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates, Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Task Force Detainees of the Philippines, Alternative Law Group, Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearances, Ateneo Human Rights Center and Philippine Human Rights Information Center.

Thomas cited the 2010 US Department of State Human Rights Report on the Philippines that expressed concern on the slow pace of investigations and prosecutions of past cases.

He noted that from 2007 to 2010, the US government provided $3.5 million in grants to the Philippine government and non-government organizations to strengthen their capacity to address human rights violations.

Burgos said the military will not tolerate any form of human rights violations.                   

He said it is not the policy of the AFP “to practice the use of force beyond legal means.”

“The paradigm shift of the AFP in its implementation of internal peace and security plan Bayanihan has given emphasis on the strong adherence to the rule of law and respect of human rights and international humanitarian law,” Burgos said.

He assured the public that military personnel involved in extrajudicial killings will be punished.

“The AFP remains firm in upholding the rule of law and the AFP shall continue to promote and respect human rights in all its undertakings,” he said.

Militant groups have accused the AFP of resorting to killings, abductions and torture to silence the critics of the government. They claimed that the human rights violations were committed to ensure the success of the government’s counter-insurgency drive. The military, however, has repeatedly denied the allegations.