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AFP ex-budget officer's assistant claims getting P500K monthly


(Updated 9:25 p.m.) A military budget officer said more than a decade ago, he received a car and between P300,000 and P500,000 monthly from retired Lt. Col. George Rabusa, the whistle-blower on alleged corruption in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Col. Tomas Donato told a senate hearing on Thursday that Rabusa, a former military budget officer, had given him a Honda Civic, but he did not know what it was for. "I didn't ask. I was just thankful," said Donato who had the rank of major when he was Rabusa's assistant. Donato was also the former comptroller of the Intelligence Service of the AFP (Isafp). During the hearing, when senators asked what the car was for, Rabusa said he gave it because Donato was "very loyal to me." Rabusa said Donato was the one who assisted him in converting military funds for the personal use of ranking military officials. Rabusa said he used "converted" military funds to purchase the P800,000 car he gave to Donato. Rabusa revealed he also passed on to Lt. Col. Antonio "Sonny" Lim, the deputy budget officer who replaced Donato, another Honda Civic car. P300K to P500K for office supplies Donato testified at the senate hearing that he also used to get P300,000 to P500,000 from Rabusa. Donato claimed that the money was allegedly used for the military comptroller's office supplies and for additional allowances for AFP personnel. Donato said he keeps a record of the people who reportedly used the money from Rabusa for supplies and allowance. Asked if he has turned over the said record to Rabusa, Donato said no. P2K to P20K for personal use In his testimony, Donato said aside from the car and the P300,000 to P500,000 monthly fund, Rabusa also gave him "for his personal use" an amount ranging from P2,000 to P20,000 monthly. However, Rabusa belied Donato's statement and said he used to give his former assistant not only P20,000 but at least P100,000 a month. Rabusa said he never gave Donato P2,000 because the former looks at such an amount as "barya" (small change). When asked to confirm if he indeed received P100,000 for his personal use, Donato said: "Hindi ko na po maalala, your honor [I can no longer remember, your honor]." Money vault Donato claimed that he has never seen the vaults inside Rabusa's office, where Rabusa had earlier said he would keep the converted funds. However, Rabusa belied Donato's claims and said it was "impossible" for his former assistant not to see the vaults in his office. Last Monday, Rabusa's claims were backed by fellow retired military budget officer Perla Valerio, who claimed she was the one who prepared the documents for the release of the funds handed over to the generals. On Thursday, Valerio confirmed that she has been seeing Donato getting usually around P500,000 from Rabusa. AFP on Donato The military, meanwhile, said it is not taking action against Donato for now as it would wait for the culmination of the congressional hearings before looking into the allegations against him. "This investigation (by Congress) is still ongoing. At the end of the investigation, we will be collating all statements and see, look, examine what needs to be done. Let's allow all these (congressional hearings) to be completed," said AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta at a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo. Mabanta stressed that the alleged corruption occurred about 10 years ago and such malpractices no longer occur in the military at present. He noted that reform measures had been adopted by the military as a result of these corrupt practices. Rabusa's allegations At a Senate hearing in February, Rabusa accused the late Defense chief Angelo Reyes of receiving around P100 million while he served as AFP chief of staff, and not less than P50 million more as "pabaon" (send-off money) when Reyes retired in March 2001. Rabusa likewise claimed that other military heads benefited from the practice of giving "pabaon." Reyes, who committed suicide on February 8 this year, had denied the allegations and intended to sue Rabusa for libel. Reyes killed himself in front of his mother’s grave. Based on the findings of a special investigation task group of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), Reyes died of a “self-inflicted wound" from a single gunshot apparently from a caliber .45 pistol. According to eyewitnesses cited by the police, Reyes, his bodyguard, a driver, and two sons arrived at around 7:00 a.m. at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City on February 8. Sometime before 7:30 a.m. that day, Reyes reportedly told his sons and bodyguard to go ahead to where their car was parked. Then, standing alone in front of the grave of his mother, a single shot rang out and he fell to the ground. – VVP, GMA News
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