MANILA, Philippines -- The joint military exercise “Balikatan” (shoulder-to-shoulder) between the Philippines and the United States will continue despite allegations of corruption against some Philippine military officials in the handling of funds intended for Filipino troops, US Ambassador Kristie Kenney said.
In a radio interview, Kenney said that funds allotted for US troops in all “Balikatan” exercises were fully accounted for. Both the US and the Philippine governments put in money for their troops for this annual exercise.
Embattled Navy official Lieutenant Senior Grade Nancy Gadian earlier accused her former superior of having pocketed a portion of the funds intended for the RP-US Balikatan exercises in 2007. Gadian herself is under investigation by the Navy’s Efficiency and Separation Board for insubordination and desertion.
Gadian claimed that retired Lieutenant General Eugenio Cedo, then chief of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), used the month-long Balikatan in Jolo, Sulu as a "milking cow." She said that of the P46 million provided by the Americans, only P2.3 million was released to Filipino soldiers. Cedo denied the allegations.
But Kenney said she would leave the accounting of funds intended for Filipino troops to the Philippine side.
“We looked back at all of our funds and we’re 100 percent confident that they went to exactly where they were supposed to go. I can’t speak for the Philippine side because it’s obviously not my business to investigate their funds,” the ambassador said.
On what exercises to conduct, Kenney said the US Armed Forces would usually submit a recommendation to the US defense secretary for what type of training the troops would need for the next year.
“Balikatan has been a big exercise every year. I assume we will continue but I will let our four-star general to make the recommendation to the defense chief," she said.
"I think we enjoy having exercise here because our troops like to train here with Filipinos,” she said.
She pointed out that lots of Filipino soldiers have been in the US studying in the Naval Academy, West Point and the Air Force Academy.
