Magsaysay wants AFP budget cut restored

Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr. said yesterday he is amenable to the restoration of the P10-billion cut in the modernization fund of the Armed Forces.

Magsaysay, sponsor of the Armed Forces’ proposed 2002 budget, agreed during his interpellation by opposition senators that the big slash could affect the ability of the military to respond to security threats.

Senators Rodolfo Biazon, Gregorio Honasan and Panfilo Lacson all pressed for the restoration of the Armed Forces’ budget for the acquisition of more modern naval vessels and aircraft.

Magsaysay said the Armed Forces is set to intensify its security watch to include the 200-mile exclusive economic zone, from external threats and illegal intrusions.

"On internal security, the Armed Forces will improve counter-intelligence and its capability to effectively respond to the threats of transnational crimes, particularly terrorism," he added.

Sen. John Osmeña, chairman of the Senate committee on finance, said the Armed Forces’ proposed 2002 budget was not actually effectively cut by P10 billion because his committee also increased the military’s appropriation by P1.2 billion for the recruitment of 5,000 enlisted men and 20,000 Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) members.

"The effective decrease in the Armed Forces budget is only P8.8 billion," Osmeña said.

Senate President Pro Tempore Manuel Villar and Sen. Juan Flavier, on the other hand, justified the slash in the Armed Forces’ modernization fund.

The two blamed the military for being slow in using funds appropriated by Congress for its modernization program.

"Last year, we appropriated P5 billion for the Armed Forces’ modernization but it used only P1 billion. We don’t believe in appropriating more than what could be used," Villar said.

Villar said a portion of the P10-billion cut could be restored "but not the entire amount."

"We could not remove the entire fund because the Armed Forces still has limited capabilities and manpower. We should strengthen the Armed Forces instead," he said.

Magsaysay said the lease or joint venture development of the military’s real estate assets could be resorted to as a non-traditional and alternative mode of generating income for the Armed Forces’ modernization program.