Official: Legislation key to curbing alleged AFP corruption

The Congress should come up with legislation that will correct flaws and deficiencies in the military’s logistics and financial systems, Armed Forces vice chief Lt. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu said Sunday. “We need to sit down with members of Congress so we can come up with laws aimed at correcting the flaws in our system and plug the loopholes that are taken advantaged by others," Mapagu said in light of alleged corruption within the military organization. The alleged corruption has been blamed for the suicide of former chief of staff Angelo Reyes, who took his own life Tuesday after being accused of receiving millions of pesos worth of pay-offs while in active service. He was buried Sunday at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. “We hope that everybody will be involved in the discussions. We hope that Congress can really help us strengthen our system to avoid technicalities and flaws," said Mapagu at the sidelines of Reyes’ funeral service. Mapagu also downplayed calls by some quarters for the abolition of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in the wake of corruption charges against PMA graduates like Reyes and former AFP comptroller Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia, an accused plunderer. “In fairness to many alumni of the PMA, majority are serving with honor and dignity and with professionalism. Many have also sacrificed their lives. You cannot ignore that," said Mapagu, a member of PMA Class ‘78. Mapagu also noted what he sees as attempts to divide the military between rank-and-file soldiers and officials through accusations of corruption. He said this is dangerous “because the chain of command will be broken." “What we are doing is we are talking to our people. We are explaining things to the, and to disseminate what the military leadership and the national leadership has done to improve the systems in the Armed Forces of the Philippines," he said. - KBK, GMA News