ANGELES CITY – A national group urged yesterday Pres. Aquino to “re-channel” some P70 billion in funds for the modernization of the Armed Forces for helping victims and rehabilitate areas affected by recent natural calamities, including the recent earthquake in the Visayas.
In a statement, Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) chairman Fernando Hicap said “it would be grossly immoral and highly unjust to spend billions of taxpayers’ money for new military materiel while hundreds of thousands of people affected by typhoon Sendong and the recent earthquake are starving to death and struggling 24-hours a day for survival.”
Hicap cited reports that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) officials plan to buy several pieces of jetfighters, anti-submarine ship, a destroyer and unmanned aerial vehicles from Italy.
“Hundreds of thousands of disaster victims in Northern Mindanao and Negros Oriental are asking for food, shelter and other relief materials.
They cannot eat jetfighters. A destroyer or anti-submarine ship cannot provide needed shelter units to displaced farmers, fisherfolk and other rural people. Pres. Aquino should prioritize the pressing needs of the people,” Hicap said.
Defense secretary Voltaire Gazmin announced on Monday the department’s plan to ink a state-to-state agreement with Italy for the purchases.
