EDITORIAL - Start with the PMA

With the revelations about massive corruption in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, jokes have abounded not just about general amnesia and jet-setting wives of military officers but also about the alma mater of the AFP’s officer corps: the Philippine Military Academy.

A favorite joke, amid yesterday’s tragedy and the continuing congressional probe, is that the PMA has become the best school for those who want to ensure that their career will bring them immense wealth.

It’s not the first time that the country’s premier military academy has been the subject of criticism. The PMA has often come under fire for initiation rites that involve hazing, an activity that has led to the deaths of many cadets. The PMA Old Boys’ Club has also been blamed for the perpetuation of misdeeds attributed to the military, including gross human rights violations and, in recent weeks, massive corruption.

Congress is expected to come up with remedial legislation to eliminate opportunities for corruption in the AFP. With the recent testimonies at the Senate and the House of Representatives, new legislation may also cover the Commission on Audit. Housecleaning in the AFP should start with those who are training to become members of its officer corps. The AFP leadership must review values formation programs in the PMA. It is not enough to engrave honor, duty and country into PMA markers; each graduate must fully understand what is expected of an honorable soldier in a democracy.

Ferdinand Marcos used the military to enforce his authoritarian rule. Over two decades since Marcos’ ouster, the AFP has not completely eliminated its image as a human rights violator. The accusations of corruption and misuse of military funds have further tarnished the image of the AFP. The key players in these scandals are all PMA alumni. If reforms are to take root in the AFP, they should start at the PMA.