Army Maj. Gen. Vicente Porto yesterday said the ongoing Senate hearings on the corruption in the Armed Forces of the Philippines should be viewed with a positive outlook.

“There is no reason for soldiers to have low morale,” Porto said, adding, “This is good for the AFP.”

Porto, who is now on farewell visits to Army infantry units in Negros island, said “What is good about the investigations is that we may soon see more reforms and changes in the financial and logistics system in the AFP.”

He, however, stressed that reforms in the AFP had been initiated by abolishing the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Comptrollership (J-6), and breaking them into four independent offices to provide check-and-balance in the financial and logistical system within the military organization.

Former AFP comptroller chiefs Carlos Garcia and Jacinto Ligot were accused by by ex-AFP budget officer George Rabusa of amassing unexplained wealth at the expense of the Philippine military organization.

Rabusa exposed the high-level corruption in the military, including a purported slush fund that benefitted the top brass, and named some of them as former AFP chiefs Diomedio Villanueva, Roy Cimatu and Angelo Reyes.

Porto said “We are looking forward to any legislation that will come and any conclusion of the cases filed against Generals Garcia and Ligot. Col. Rabusa, et al”.

When that happens, he added, probably, all personnel of the AFP will be very satisfied and happy.

While 3ID soldiers are not affected by the proceedings on live TV and radio coverage, Porto said, “We will not allow these events to unwittingly destroy the morale of our soldiers on the ground who are trying to preserve democracy and our government.”

He added that he has instructed army field commanders to continuously enlighten the troops about the positive effects of the investigations.

Porto also said they will never allow the insurgency to be the eventual beneficiary in all of these, as the CPP-NPA-NDF eagerly awaits by the sidelines for the collapse of the AFP as an institution.

Asked about the series of NPA attacks all over the country, despite the ongoing peace talks between the government and National Democratic Front, Porto said he sees them as intended to influence the negotiations.

It is a strategy of the NPA, and they did it before, he said.

Despite the continuing rebel attacks, however, Porto said the government is very optimistic that the peace negotiations will be a success.

He said they are anticipating a major tactical offensive of the NPA, in a certain area, before or after its founding anniversary on March 29.*GPB

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