MANILA, Philippines -- Military field units have been receiving additional funds as “encouragement" every time they score big against communist guerillas, a practice described as "quite effective" by Armed Forces chief of staff Lieutenant General Alexander Yano.
Yano said the awarding of "follow-on operational funds" to the troops began during the term of his predecessor, General Hermogenes Esperon Jr., who retired Monday.
"These are not rewards but operational expenses…We are not supposed to be even rewarded," Yano said in an interview on ANC television.
"I think we term it as follow-on funds [because] after we have cleared [a guerilla front] for example, going to the succeeding fronts to be cleared, we have to be supported. It’s also a way of encouraging our units," Yano added.
Yano clarified that the money was given to a military unit, not to individual officers or soldiers.
"That [follow-on funds] has been with us, with my predecessor, and it's been quite effective," he said.
He refused to say how much is awarded to military units that overrun rebel bases or capture guerilla leaders.
Asked if the practice of giving extra funds to troops who score against their enemies would have a negative impact, Yano said: "I don't think that will happen."
The "follow-on" funds were awarded as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo gave security forces until the end of her term in 2010 to "defeat" the communist New People's Army (NPA), "destroy" the Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and "contain" the Moro secessionist rebellion.
At the end of the first quarter this year, the strength of the NPA was estimated at 5,470, while the Abu Sayyaf was estimated at 360.
Yano said the military aims to reduce the NPA to a "manageable level" by 2010, as he conceded that bringing the rebels' strength to zero was "quite improbable."
"I always say that we cannot reduce the problem to zero, there will always be recalcitrant and wayward elements… I would say we can reduce it manageable level, to an insignificant level, irrelevant," he said.
