JINGGOY: PAYOLA SCANDAL SHOULD NOT AFFECT AFP YEARLY BUDGET

While hundreds of millions of pesos of military funds were already lost due to some corrupt military generals, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada expressed belief that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) should continue receiving a huge share in the yearly budget.

"These revelations on the 'generosity' of some high rank military officers in rewarding not only their peers but even themselves of additional benefits, should not put us off in addressing the concerns of thousands of our lowly soldiers," Sen. Estrada said.

The senator enjoined colleagues to review the salary structure of the rank and file and junior officers vis-à-vis the senior officials in the Armed Forces, in the light of the expose' on fund misuse.

"This is an eye-opener for all of us, the overindulgence of some generals, at the expense of the taxpayers. Our soldiers, who are in the line of fire, who have chosen to embrace the noble profession of arms, should be spared from this scandal," Estrada said.

"We shouldn't lose track of the fact that soldiers, to this day, remain ill-equipped and underpaid. I still believe that there are only but few rotten eggs in the military that we must get rid off," the senator said.