The left-leaning Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) branded the AFP as a mercenary army and is not fit to defend the Filipino people. According to Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos, secretary general of the group “with all the corruption the AFP is involved in, it is no wonder that they do not care of the human rights violations committed by the lower ranks and it is no wonder that many of its AFP officials themselves are involved in crime syndicates,”

“But what is more appalling is that it seems that the Major General Carlos Garcia fiasco, the P100-P300 million “pabaon” for retiring AFP chiefs of staff and the so-called Gang of 12 generals, are just the tip of the iceberg. We think that because the top echelons of the military brass are involved in these shady undertakings, it functions more of a mafia-like organization, a syndicate whose godfather or godmother for that matter resides in the Palace across Mendiola, these generals cannot move without her blessing” added the peasant leader.

As for his part Carl Anthony Ala, public information officer of KMP, “an armed force like the AFP can be likened to the goons of politicians or crime lords who are guns for hire and will side at the highest bidder. The president has a lot to answer to, for breeding such a snake pit of a military institution,”

“The morale of soldiers in the battlefields will indeed be at rock bottom considering the callousness of their superiors to their legitimate demands, while they themselves are emptying public coffers, indeed another Oakwood is not far from happening,” ended Ala. # # #
 

KMP - 26 October 2004