AFP corruption:
Voice from beyond – 3

Captain Rene Jarque’s paper identified two major areas of reform, which he considered to be the keys to put an end to corruption in the AFP. Eradicating corruption in a large institution like the AFP with some 150,000 officers and men spread out all over the island cannot be completely done. No armed force has ever been completely pure. What can only be done is to minimize it to a tolerable level that will not endanger the national security and put in place the mechanism for swift punishment of the corrupt.

The two major areas for reform that Jarque cited are professionalism and corruption. He identified what he called “challenge capability” which involves “internal weakness in the defense establishment among them dysfunctional organization, poor personnel management, inferior officer development program, inadequate deployment capability, no coherent doctrine, an  outmoded and unreliable logistical system, old  weapons and equipment, dilapidated facilities, weak planning process with no clear strategic guidance, an inefficient and unethical financial system, deficient education and training curriculum, an inadequate information management system, an ineffective management audit system and defective reserve force management.

This list is a litany of whatever ails any institution or organization. Name any defect and the AFP has them from the perspective of Jarque. His perception, however, are apparent once in a while when they break out in the news but not this projection of the ills within. We did not see or appreciate the entire picture as he did because we get snippets and Jarque was looking at a wider screen and had a panoramic view from within.

Jarque’s paper is intended for analysis so that this column does not want to tax our readers with its details and his suggested means of reforming the AFP. As I said the paper is long and must be studied separately, intensely and in depth by those who intend to initiate reforms in the AFP. His paper provides a road map. The above list, for instance covers a wide ranging number of topics, each one requiring a heavy load.

Let me pick up one in the list – an inefficient and unethical financial system. This is a core temptation and many of the ills of the AFP can be linked to this “challenge”. This is like the nervous system that links, affects and afflicts all others.  Addressing them is a gargantuan task and will mean a total revamp of the leadership of the AFP starting from their training system in the PMA. While the PMA inculcates the right values which remain with young officers, time eventually creeps in and corruption infects.

I remember one colonel talked of his way from being a second lieutenant after the academy. He said, getting promoted all the way to captain within 8 years is no sweet because tenure is the basic requirement. This is known as company grade, but to move from captain to full colonel, known as field grade, is a constant struggle that “challenges” the integrity and values of the officer. If is from this level that corruption temps. The captain must cater to his superiors, including being in the good graces of the higher officer’s wife and knowing how to keep secrets of corruption to become major.

This is what Jarque noted as lack of professionalism and the constant presence of bootlicking. So when an officer goes up the ladder he had to pass this gauntlet and eventually demands similarly from his subordinates. It is a great challenge to an officer to go through the mill and keep his integrity intact. There are times that he is told to “produce” to meet his superior’s needs or wants. Colonel Rabusa tells us how he must “produce” not thousands of pesos but millions. However, those in the lower ranks have also their demands on the lower ranks “to produce” but in lesser amounts. Sometimes this can be a good fighting cock or even someone for the superior officer to enjoy for the night.

The death of Angelo Reyes can be an opportune time to begin reforms. The other generals are still insisting on their innocence despite solid evidence. There is nothing better than a clean conscience; perhaps others, like the Garci generals can begin expelling their demons by telling the truth and be men enough to admit they have done wrong.

Fortunately the Senate has rejected the suggestion of Sen. Gringo Honasan to hold their inquiries outside of public view. That is the best way for Honosan cover up the worms and vermin in the AFP. *   

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