AFP chief vows to strengthen anti-corruption drive via special audits

MANILA, Philippines -  Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr. has vowed to add “more muscle and teeth” to his anti-corruption drive through the conduct of special audits that are on top of the regular ones performed yearly.

Oban said they have started conducting the unannounced audits with the AFP unified area commands, which are located in various parts of the country.

“Before, we conduct the audit once a year. Now we don’t tell them how many times. This will install consciousness that there is such thing. We want to put more teeth and muscle in our internal audit,” he told The STAR.

Oban said the unannounced audits began with the unified commands since they are directly under the AFP General Headquarters.

The AFP area commands consist of the National Capital Region Command, Northern Luzon Command, Southern Luzon Command, Central Command, Western Command, Eastern Mindanao Command, Western Mindanao Command and the National Development Support Command.

AFP public affairs chief Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said the special audits would help prevent corruption and encourage field units to keep their accounts in order.

“If the auditing would not be announced, everyone would ensure that their books are prepared. They will do what is right,” he said in a phone interview yesterday.

Oban said starting the special audit in the area commands would promote reforms that can cascade to the smallest field units. He said field officers and personnel have expressed support for the special audits.

“The reaction (of military officers) was positive. Everybody in the Armed Forces would like to implement reforms,” the AFP chief said.

Oban could not tell when the auditors would present their findings, saying the review of financial records is ongoing.

A military source who requested anonymity said area commands are vulnerable to conversion since they operate in the field and require a lot of equipment and supplies.

Conversion is a scheme wherein supplies to be purchased are converted to cash. The money will then be used to fund items that are not programmed. Military officers reportedly resort to conversion if they do not have available funds for unexpected needs.

Oban has promised to eliminate conversion, saying the practice has been subjected to abuses in the past.

He said the AFP will carefully plan its budget to remove opportunities for corruption.

“When planning the budget, we engage with agencies like the COA (Commission on Audit) and DBM (Department of Budget and Management). By doing that, we eliminate conversion,” Oban said.

The AFP was dragged into controversy early this year after retired Lt. Col. George Rabusa told a Senate hearing last January that former military chiefs were given millions in send-off money upon retirement.

Rabusa, a former budget officer, said some funds were diverted to allow ranking officers to avail of hefty cash gifts.

He claimed former AFP chief Angelo Reyes got P50 million in send-off money while former military chiefs Diomedio Villanueva and Roy Cimatu got P160 million and P80 million, respectively. The three have belied Rabusa’s allegations.

Upon his assumption as AFP chief last March, Oban promised to introduce reforms in the military’s financial system and to punish those involved in anomalies.