AFP drops cases vs 10 officers in CAFGU fund misuse
by Aries Rufo, abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak | 05/15/2009 11:59 AM
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The military has dropped charges against 10 military officers who were earlier recommended for court martial for allegedly misusing funds meant to pay salaries of members of the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU).
A document leaked to abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak by a Camp Aguinaldo insider shows that since two years ago, the Army has investigated at least 59 Army officers—the biggest investigation in recent years—on reports that several battalions had come up with a list of “ghost” CAFGUs in their units and pocketed the salaries meant for them.
One of those investigated was a colonel who eventually served as an aide of retired Armed Forces chief of staff Alexander Yano, according to the same document. This officer, along with 49 others, were cleared in the initial stages of the probe. They were eventually reassigned to other commands or staff positions.
The biggest number of those probed--15 officers--came from the 6th Infantry Division based in Central Mindanao. Of the 15 from this division, 10 were recommended for court martial trial in June last year, all junior officers.
Two of their seniors, both colonels, were merely reprimanded and the investigation against them was eventually “dropped and closed.” Their other senior officer, another colonel, was reassigned and the investigation against him was also “dropped and closed.”
But as of February this year, the court martial cases against the 10—two majors, four captains, and four lieutenants—had likewise been dropped.
The document, according to senior officer who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the case, was presented early this year to Yano, who was still chief of staff at the time, and Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Victor Ibrado, who was Army boss then.
Perennial problem
Misuse of CAFGU funds has perennially plagued the Army because these funds had been treated by some military officers as their discretionary fund.
In 2006, then Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino initiated a wide-ranging investigation into the CAFGU funds, and at least one colonel was from the Army’s 10th Infantry Division was implicated at the time.
The abuse was so wide-ranging that the investigation covered all the Army’s 10 divisions.
In "Misuse of CAFGU funds still unresolved", Newsbreak earlier reported that during Tolentino’s time, three had been recommended for court martial, while others were undergoing pre-trial investigation. It appears that the three were among those who were eventually cleared.
The Newsbreak report prompted three party-list groups to file a resolution seeking an investigation into the CAFGU funds. We checked the status of the resolution which was filed before the House committee on defense and security and we were told that it remains pending in the committee.
Final decision
Sought for comment, Army spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos said newly appointed Army chief Lt.Gen. Delfin Bangit was not familiar with the dismissal of the charges against the 10 officers.
Bangit assumed the post earlier this month, replacing Ibrado, who is now AFP chief of staff.
In any case, Burgos said that “if there was a final decision, we cannot question that.”
Ghost CAFGUs
Estimates showed that P177.5 million annually is misused through the “ghost CAFGUs.” The Army’s initial investigation into this indicated that there were about 8,000 “ghost” CAFGUs nationwide.
Under this scheme, non-existent CAFGU members are reflected in the division payroll. The monthly subsistence allowance of these “ghost CAFGUs” (roughly P1,800) are diverted for other purposes.
Created in 1989, the CAFGU is composed of mostly of reservists, officers, and enlisted men on inactive status. Its budget is under the Department of National Defense.
Without commenting on ongoing cases, Burgos said Bangit “will see to it that cases of mishandling of funds will be properly investigated.”
Bangit, he said, “will not tolerate any infractions in the administration and management of the CAFGU.”
Burgos noted that reforms have been instituted in the use of CAFGU funds, in particular, the establishment of a personnel information system for CAFGU members.
He said Bangit will call for a command conference in June to further improve CAFGU administration and management.
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