“Any probe into the corruption among the AFP chiefs of staff should include the then Commander in Chief Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,” Renato Reyes, secretary general of the militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), said in a statement.

“The payoffs were likely done to buy the loyalty of the generals and ensure their cooperation even after retirement. Considering that the Arroyo regime had many crimes to cover up, the loyalty of the generals was important,” Reyes said.

He said Arroyo could have courted the generals’ support to rig the 2004 elections, cover up the ensuing “Hello Garci” electoral fraud scandal, cover up extrajudicial killings and thwart moves to unseat her.

Reyes added that Arroyo could have let the generals get away with helping themselves to the military coffers so that she could keep them on her side especially when her position was in peril.

Generals kept happy

“No wonder these generals stuck it out with Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo all these years. They were kept happy by the loot that they were able to amass,” Reyes said.

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teddy Casiño said it was impossible that Arroyo, now a representative of Pampanga, was not aware of the corruption among top military officials considering that she was their Commander in Chief for many years.

“The investigation should definitely include GMA as Commander in Chief. At the very least, she is liable on the principle of command responsibility for tolerating the practice,” Casiño said.

“She could not have known that this was going on yet she failed to take steps to stop it. She should be invited to the next Senate hearing,” he added.

Retired Lt. Col. George Rabusa, former military budget officer, spilled the beans on the alleged tradition of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) payola when he came as a surprise witness to the Senate hearing on Thursday.

Rabusa testified that then AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Angelo Reyes received a P50-million pabaon (sendoff gift) upon his retirement from the military.

Rabusa made the revelation during the Senate’s investigation on the plea bargaining agreement between ex-military comptroller Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia and special prosecutors in exchange for the dropping of the P303-million plunder charge against Garcia and family.

Reyes on Saturday said the present administration should not waste the chance offered by Rabusa to uncover and punish corruption in the military.

“The biggest challenge now for the Aquino government is to ensure that cases will be filed and the concerned people will be prosecuted under the law,” he said.

Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said that Rabusa’s statement would definitely dampen the morale of ordinary soldiers, particularly those in the fields fighting the communist insurgency.

“I hope that this will not destroy the military establishment as an institution. There should be no sacred cows in the investigation,” Evardone said.

Quezon Rep. Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III said Rabusa’s revelations indeed showed how corruption was consummated in the military.

“The ordinary enlisted men and junior officers must be very happy that it is not a secret anymore. The question that must be answered is: How long has this been going on? How many chiefs of staff were given pabaon?” Tañada asked.

Cynthia Balana & Leila Salaverria, Phil. Daily Inquirer