AFP washes hands of housing mess

MANILA, Philippines - The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is not to blame for the delay in the award of units to military personnel at government housing projects in Bulacan.

Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, AFP spokesman, said the statement of the National Housing Authority (NHA) blaming the AFP housing board for the takeover of vacant housing units by members of the militant group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) was “inaccurate.”

“The AFP housing board desires that every soldier acquire their own houses...It had worked closely with a lot of organizations, including the NHA,” Padilla said.

However, he said the NHA has yet to respond to the request of the soldiers to adjust the size of the units. 

A soldier who asked not be named said the units occupied by Kadamay are too small. He said the villages still lack water, electricity and other facilities.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said he would look into the reported delay in the award of housing units to police officers.

Around 5,000 members of Kadamay took over the housing units allotted for soldiers and policemen in Pandi and San Jose del Monte City last week. 

The militants were told to vacate the units by Sunday or face eviction.