Army reservists decry non-payment of poll allowances

Now, it’s the Army reservists’ turn to complain of the non-payment of their allowances for rendering service in the May 10 elections.

The Army reservists were deputized by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to help out in the last elections. But unlike the teachers, members of the Army’s 1st Ready Reserve Battalion of the 103rd Community Defense Group (CDG) in La Union are not up in arms against the Comelec but at their superiors who dismissed their election duties as "voluntary in nature."

Master Sergeant Antonio Acuavera, sergeant major of the 1st Ready Reserve Battalion based at Camp Lt. Col. Jose Laberinto in Naguilan town, said that they were made to understand that each reservist is entitled to a P500 allowance and additional P60 for meals.

However, he claimed that the allowances, which totaled P295,680 were not disbursed to the 176 Army reservists who were deputized by the Comelec for poll duty for three to four days in San Fernando City, Bauang, Caba and Aringay, all in La Union.

Instead, Acuavera said they were told not to expect anything by Brig. Gen. Dionisio Turina, commanding general of the Army Reserve Command (ARESCOM) based at Camp Riego de Dios in Tanza, Cavite because their deployment was not sanctioned by concerned authorities and "therefore voluntary."

He also claimed that funding for the deployment of military reservists has been released by the Comelec to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) before the elections were held.

For its part, the AFP clarified that the deployment of reservists in La Union is not covered by Comelec funding unlike in Metro Manila.

Lt. Col. Daniel Lucero, AFP spokesman, said the deployment of reservists in La Union, was an internal matter between the AFP and the Philippine National Police.

As agreed, Lucero claimed that the Army reservists who volunteered for poll duties were placed under the control of the local police in La Union, who in turn provided for their meals.

But just the same, Lucero assured the AFP will further look into the complaints.