NR1016:Demoralization in the PNP, AFP

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
News Release October 16 , 2004
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
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Fat paychecks, undeserved perks in top levels of AFP, PNP demoralize
lower-salaried rank-and file police and soldiers; Malacanang's battle vs
corruption empty propaganda

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that the scandalous reports
of the fat paychecks, allowances, perks and other benefits being enjoyed by
the higher-ranking officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and
the Philippine National Police (PNP) and former Defense secretary and now
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) chief Angelo Reyes are sure
to exacerbate the already widespread demoralization among the rank-and-file of
the AFP and the PNP.

Beltran said that the exposes regarding the corruption in the military and
police institutions is making ordinary police officers and soldiers question
the integrity of their top officials, as well as the credibility of the
Macapagal-Arroyo government. He said that it was ironic and insulting at
the same time that even that Malacanang and its allies in Congress appeal to
the rank-and-file to keep themselves in-check and allow themselves to be
manipulated by the reports, the reports keep getting worse and worse, and the
arguments of corruption more and more convincing.

"Malacanang and its allies exhort the rank-and-file of the AFP and the PNP to
remain loyal when as the days pass it's becoming evident that corruption really
does envelop the very same institutions the executive wants the PNP and AFP men
and women to be loyal to," he said.

Beltran said that the scandalous reports of excessive and undeserved paychecks
of the higher officials give the smaller criminals in uniform a twisted reason
to remain corrupt in their own small-scale way. He said that for years, various
police sergeants and captains and low-ranking police and military officials
have been charged with running or protecting the jueteng or drug syndicates in
collusion with local government officials. Now, recent reports expose
small-time these rackets are. How can there be reforms in the PNP and the AFP
when the topmost levels can't even be cleaned out of corruption?"

Beltran expressed strong disagreement with the assertion of Malacanang
spokesperson Ignacio Bunye that the corruption allegations against DILG's Reyes
were made-up and were being issued as mere propaganda calls.

"What's a flimsy and empty propaganda call is Malacanang's declaration that
it's against corruption and that it is sincere in the fight to have it wiped
out from the bureaucracy," he said. "Angelo Reyes is yet another Malacanang
favorite who will always be protected by the President. Reyes is an effective
henchman of Malacanang in its campaign of subservience to the US' military
dictates; nevermind that he utilizes the shadiest and underhanded tactics.
His latest deployment in the DILG gives him greater power as he will also have
the PNP and the AFP at his beck and call. Now, with his clout in Malacanang
tried and tested, Reyes is certain to perpetrate even worse acts of corruption.
He can be certain, however, that he will in the watchlist of every
anti-corruption watchdog group apart from being the target of human rights
organizations," he concluded.#