Marines urge close watch on US aid

Field officers of the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) urged the military high command yesterday to closely monitor the use of the military aid that the United States has promised to extend to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) during President Arroyo’s recent US state visit.

The field officers made the appeal after they learned that a Marine general who appears to be unpopular among Marines would be named new PMC commandant vice Maj. Gen. Librado Ladia whose tour of duty ends on June 12.

Still reeling from the scandal about Kevlar helmets, the Marine officers urged the AFP high command to reconsider its decision and name "any one else" as Marine commandant except the Marine general whom they refused to identify but derisively called General Troso (Timber).

"Baka next year, hindi na Gen. Troso tawag diyan. Gen. US Aid na (Maybe next year, he will no longer be known as Gen. Troso but Gen. US Aid)," said one of the field officers, a colonel who asked for anonymity because of fear for his career.

"It is our duty to follow orders. We will accept criticism if we’re not doing our jobs but you have to give us a good leader first," said the colonel, hoping the military high command would also consider the welfare of the Marine Corps.

The colonel explained the Marine general is called Gen. Troso because of his "inordinate desire" for prime timber.

"He is known as General Troso because of his propensity to order Marines to collect timber for him as war booty," explained another one of the field officers, a lieutenant colonel who has had extensive combat experience in Mindanao.

In 2000, Troso was in command of a Marine brigade which was tasked to liberate a town that fell to the control of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the colonel said.

The Marines liberated the town and drove the MILF rebels several kilometers toward their former Camp Abubakar stronghold, but on their way back, Troso ordered the brigade to collect logs the MILF had felled along the way, the colonel said.

"Worse, General Troso ordered the boys to load the troso on the trucks while the Marines marched alongside. Aside from hauling the logs after risking their lives in combat action, the boys marched double-time at night while the trucks carried Troso’s timber," the colonel lamented.

Marines, he said, were relieved when General Troso was "promoted" to a key general staff position but it appears that Army men in the high command want that position vacated because it will have a key role in disbursing military aid.

"Maybe the Army men realized what could happen so instead of risking the embarrassment, they just promoted Gen. Troso so they could give the position to an Army man," the colonel theorized. "But they should not do that at the expense of the corps. There are other positions available."