MANILA, Philippines—Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro has asked for an additional P10 billion for the military’s budget for next year in order to end Muslim and communist insurgencies by 2010.

Teodoro’s request amounts to a 17.7 percent increase on the P56.5 billion already requested by the military in the 2009 budget. It comes after the breakdown of peace negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the outbreak of fighting.

“We need the money to increase the operational tempo of our campaign to defeat the insurgents,” Teodoro said at the budget hearing in the House of Representatives Thursday.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has said she wants the insurgency by the communist New People’s Army to be ended by the time she leaves office in 2010.

She also has said she wants to resolve the campaign by the MILF for a so-called Bangsamoro homeland in the south.

Peace talks with the MILF collapsed last month after rogue commanders went on the rampage following a decision by the Supreme Court to block a deal to expand an autonomous Muslim region in the south to be controlled by the rebels. Nearly 300 people have been killed in the fighting.

Teodoro said the extra money would be used to recruit more soldiers, repair ships and helicopters and buy more ammunition.

The military is also eligible to receive a separate P5 billion outside of the budget to upgrade its Vietnam War-era weapons systems, build new bases and training facilities.

Muntinlupa Rep. Rozzano Rufino Biazon, senior vice chair of the House appropriations committee that is reviewing the military budget, said plans to end the insurgencies by 2010 would be doomed to failure by the lack of funds, adding it was unfair for the military to be set these goals and not be given the appropriate budget.

Biazon said the proposed P56 billion appropriation for the military gives the Armed Forces very little. His father, Senator Rodolfo Biazon, was a former AFP chief.

“It may be said then that the thrust to defeat the insurgents is doomed to fail not because the AFP is not competent to win battles but because they lack the resources to carry on the fight to meet the objectives in the prescribed time,” Biazon said in a statement.

“For example, the 2009 budget fails to fund the required additional 600 Marines. Across the different major service commands, namely the Army, the Air Force and the Navy, funds are even not enough to supply the mandatory two basic loads of ammunition for soldiers,” he said.

Biazon said the government had better increase the AFP’s budget or review and reset Ms Arroyo’s deadline to defeat the insurgencies.

“It will be unfair to the AFP to be set up for failure by setting a deadline that is not supported with the appropriations needed to fulfill the mission. The AFP has the will, determination, skill and manpower to fight,” Biazon said.

“Regretfully, the financial strength is sorely lacking,” he said. Reuters and Norman Bordadora