General wants more funds for development, less for combat

JUST days after newly installed Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano admitted that military units were being given cash incentives of P300,000 for every communist guerrilla front they dismantle, the commander of the AFP's National Development Command made a pitch for a higher fund allocation for civil military operations.

Maj. Gen. Jaime Buenaflor, NDC chief, said 50 to 60 percent of the military's resources are allocated for combat operations and 20 to 30 percent to intelligence, leaving only crumbs to finance CMO activities.

In contrast, he said the communists spend 80 to 90 percent of their resources on ideological and political organization activities and the small remainder on their operations.

"We have to match them. Let us give more priority to civil military operations, match what the enemies are doing," said Buenaflor.

Civil military operations cover development projects, livelihood programs, medical and dental missions and propaganda.

The NDC was organized last year primarily to pursue development works in areas affected by conflict. It also supervises the military's "humanitarian invasion" in the Abu Sayyaf-infested provinces of Basilan and Sulu. "They have to put civil military operations not only on equal footing with intelligence and operations but over intelligence and operations. That is my perspective. If it's possible 60 percent (should be set aside for CMO) while the rest goes to the others," said Buenaflor.

He said the military has to shift strategy and place more emphasis on its civil military operations. "If you adopt the current setup, combat operations, that kind of war was implemented 30 years ago. The war is fought in a different way at present," he said.

"We have to give focus and emphasis on civil military operations. We have to increase allocation and resources of civil military operations. We have to intensify our propaganda activities. Our propaganda activity is propaganda by deeds which is development, construction of some infrastructure."

President Arroyo actually directed both the AFP and Philippine National Police to cripple the communist insurgents on or before the end of her term in 2010. Latest military estimates placed the number of New People Army rebels still active nationwide at 5,400 men and 69 guerrilla fronts.

"We'll be having a hard time. I am very pessimistic regarding that (directive) if we do not step up our civil military operations. It will take us a long time, we might not even achieve our objective. Not in 2010, or beyond 2010, if we are not going to heighten our civil military operations, this humanitarian offensive, development activities, our livelihood programs," he said.

Buenaflor said local government units should also complement what the CMO is doing.