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Philippine generals accused of corruption
Source: Agencies |
February 10, 2011, Thursday
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A FORMER military -budget officer said yesterday that he will keep testifying against -Philippine generals implicated in a -corruption scandal despite the suicide of a former -military chief.
Retired General Angelo Reyes, who also was a former defense chief, fatally shot himself in the chest with a pistol at his mother's grave on Tuesday after he and two other ex-military chiefs of staff were accused of pocketing millions of pesos (millions of dollars) in funds intended for troops salaries, a hospital and combat needs, officials said.
"I started this and I'll finish it," former military budget officer Lieutenant Colonel George Rabusa told the ABS-CBN network. He said at least four retired generals, including two former military chiefs of staff, could be charged with plunder based on evidence in his possession.
Rabusa's lawyer, Noel Malaya, said dozens of retired and active military personnel and some government auditors who took bribes to overlook massive corruption could also be held liable if the Department of Justice decides to charge them.
Illegal fund
In startling testimony before the Philippine Senate last month, Rabusa claimed that Reyes and two other former military chiefs received huge payoffs and "send-off money" when they retired. He said the money came from an illegal contingency fund collected from key military units, which were forced to cut their congressionally approved budgets for troop salaries, weapons, equipment and combat needs.
Rabusa said that the -military officials padded budgets for annual United States--Philippine military war exercises in at least 2001 and 2002 so they could divert the excess amount to the -illegal fund. As a result, the counterpart fund contributed by the US military for the -exercises was also in excess, he said.
Rabusa testified that Reyes received about US$1 million when he stepped down. He said he personally delivered the money to Reyes, and that it first had to be converted into dollars because the peso equivalent was too bulky.
Reyes was among the country's most prominent generals. He led counterinsurgency battles and was in charge of the departments of defense, environment, energy, interior and local government affairs and held other top posts under several presidents.
Retired General Angelo Reyes, who also was a former defense chief, fatally shot himself in the chest with a pistol at his mother's grave on Tuesday after he and two other ex-military chiefs of staff were accused of pocketing millions of pesos (millions of dollars) in funds intended for troops salaries, a hospital and combat needs, officials said.
"I started this and I'll finish it," former military budget officer Lieutenant Colonel George Rabusa told the ABS-CBN network. He said at least four retired generals, including two former military chiefs of staff, could be charged with plunder based on evidence in his possession.
Rabusa's lawyer, Noel Malaya, said dozens of retired and active military personnel and some government auditors who took bribes to overlook massive corruption could also be held liable if the Department of Justice decides to charge them.
Illegal fund
In startling testimony before the Philippine Senate last month, Rabusa claimed that Reyes and two other former military chiefs received huge payoffs and "send-off money" when they retired. He said the money came from an illegal contingency fund collected from key military units, which were forced to cut their congressionally approved budgets for troop salaries, weapons, equipment and combat needs.
Rabusa said that the -military officials padded budgets for annual United States--Philippine military war exercises in at least 2001 and 2002 so they could divert the excess amount to the -illegal fund. As a result, the counterpart fund contributed by the US military for the -exercises was also in excess, he said.
Rabusa testified that Reyes received about US$1 million when he stepped down. He said he personally delivered the money to Reyes, and that it first had to be converted into dollars because the peso equivalent was too bulky.
Reyes was among the country's most prominent generals. He led counterinsurgency battles and was in charge of the departments of defense, environment, energy, interior and local government affairs and held other top posts under several presidents.
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