Senate probe on undelivered Army supplies sought

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago has called for an inquiry into the delays in the delivery of ammunition and other equipment procured by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Citing findings of the Commission on Audit (COA), Santiago said that only a fraction of the items procured by the AFP in 2014 has been delivered, something which she said might place Filipino soldiers at risk.

“How can we expect our troops to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity when they have no ammunition or equipment for training? Funds have been disbursed, why were supplies not delivered?” Santiago said.

According to the audit report of the COA, the Philippine Army released a total of P569.6 million to the government arsenal for ammunition but only P42.4 million worth of these were delivered in 2014.

The report also noted that the Army purchased P231.9 million worth of combat clothing and equipment through the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management from 2004 to 2011, but still some P786,000 worth of these remain undelivered in 2014.

Santiago, chairperson of the Legislative Oversight Committee on the Visiting Forces Agreement, said that a Senate inquiry on the matter is necessary, especially in view of the importance of providing the military with the equipment it requires to combat internal and external security threats.

While she criticized the recent Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the United States and the Philippines, Santiago said that there is a need for the military to boost its defenses against external threats.