MANILA, Philippines – MARIING itinanggi ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ang inilarawan nitong “malisyosong” akusasyon hinggil sa umano’y P15 bilyong halaga ng military ghost projects mula 2023 hanggang 2025.
Sa isang kalatas, sinabi ng AFP na ang akusasyon na kumakalat sa online ay “completely false, irresponsible, and clearly intended to discredit the AFP and its leadership.”
“For the record, there are no ‘ghost projects’ in the AFP. The AFP neither implements nor receives funds for infrastructure projects,” ayon sa AFP.
“All military facilities constructed under the Tatag ng Imprastraktura para sa Kapayapaan at Seguridad (TIKAS) program are funded and implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH),” ang sinabi pa rin ng AFP.
Ayon sa AFP, ang “completion” na binanggit sa misleading post refers ay tumutukoy lamang sa ‘completion’ ng partikular na bahagi ng konstruksyon para sa specific fiscal year at hindi ng kabuuang proyekto.
“For instance, a 10-storey building may be funded and built in multiple phases across several years. Each phase is completed in accordance with the approved program of works and budget for that year,” ayon sa AFP.
“Hence, to claim that a ‘completed phase’ equates to a ‘ghost project’ is a gross misrepresentation of how government infrastructure budgeting works,” ang sinabi pa rin ng AFP.
Giit naman ni AFP chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. na “no funds in connection with the TIKAS projects” ang ipinalabas sa military organization dahil ang DPWH ang ahensiya na nangangasiwa sa kanila.
“Gusto ko lang pong liwanagin na yung TIKAS projects ay hindi po nairi-release iyong pondo sa AFP. Yung pondo po ng TIKAS projects ay nairi-release sa DPWH,” ang tinuran ni Brawner.
“And DPWH is the one that does the planning, the bidding, and the implementation of the project. Kami po sa AFP kami lang po ang nagsasabi kung ano iyong kailangan namin,” dagdag na wika nito. Kris Jose
