Aquino pushes anti-graft reform
Source: Agencies |
March 7, 2011, Monday
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Print Edition
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PHILIPPINES President Benigno Aquino III vowed to punish generals and other officers suspected in a high-profile corruption scandal and ordered a new military chief yesterday to press on with reforms aimed at halting large-scale graft in one of Asia's weakest militaries.
Aquino used his speech in a graduation ceremony at the prestigious Philippine Military Academy - traditionally focused on anti-insurgency and national security issues - to admonish 196 graduating cadets to resist graft.
"I hope you can say 'no' when somebody dumps a truckload of money in front of you," Aquino said to loud applause at the academy. "You're here not to get rich."
Corruption is an especially explosive issue in the ill-equipped and poorly paid 126,000-strong military and has sparked several insurrections by disgruntled troops in the last two decades. Soldiers have been struggling with a dearth of weapons while battling communist and Muslim rebels and al-Qaida-linked extremists.
A new scandal broke out in January when a former military budget officer -testified before the Senate that three retired military chiefs of staff pocketed huge amounts of funds shaved off from budgets for salaries, weapons, intelligence and a military hospital.
One of those accused, -General Angelo Reyes, denied the allegation but committed suicide at his mother's grave last month.
Aquino, who won a landslide victory in last year's elections on a promise to battle corruption and poverty, told the cadets at the academy in northern Baguio city that widespread corruption -flourished in the past because it was tolerated.
Aquino used his speech in a graduation ceremony at the prestigious Philippine Military Academy - traditionally focused on anti-insurgency and national security issues - to admonish 196 graduating cadets to resist graft.
"I hope you can say 'no' when somebody dumps a truckload of money in front of you," Aquino said to loud applause at the academy. "You're here not to get rich."
Corruption is an especially explosive issue in the ill-equipped and poorly paid 126,000-strong military and has sparked several insurrections by disgruntled troops in the last two decades. Soldiers have been struggling with a dearth of weapons while battling communist and Muslim rebels and al-Qaida-linked extremists.
A new scandal broke out in January when a former military budget officer -testified before the Senate that three retired military chiefs of staff pocketed huge amounts of funds shaved off from budgets for salaries, weapons, intelligence and a military hospital.
One of those accused, -General Angelo Reyes, denied the allegation but committed suicide at his mother's grave last month.
Aquino, who won a landslide victory in last year's elections on a promise to battle corruption and poverty, told the cadets at the academy in northern Baguio city that widespread corruption -flourished in the past because it was tolerated.
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