Funds run out for soldier wounded in battle

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Does the military have enough funds for the hospitalization of soldiers wounded in battle?

This issue came after a hospital here last week stopped providing medicines to Private First Class Mustajal Susulan, who had been in the intensive since being critically wounded in  hostilities supposedly involving Moro Islamic Liberation Front  rebels in Alicia, Zamboanga Sibugay, last October 21.

The Ciudad Medical Center, however, allowed Susulan’s life support system to continue functioning.

Susulan’s wife, Emma, said the hospital decided to cut off medicine supply to her husband because of his burgeoning bill, which amounted to P294,174.56 as of November 2, according to CMC.

Emma said she had been spending her family’s own money for her husband’s medication but has run out of cash.

She decided to seek the help of the military but was told by a liaison officer of the 102nd Infantry Brigade, her husband’s unit, that there were no funds available yet.

Susulan’s brothers, out of rage, nearly ganged up on the liaison officer, she said.

Jilhan Natividad, the hospital director, said they decided to stop giving medicines to the wounded soldier because there was no assurance they would be repaid.

“This would have never happened if the military sent us a letter or they forged an agreement with us,” he said, a situation that another military official said has since been remedied.

Colonel Eugenio Mislang, hospital director of the Don Basilio Navarro Hospital of the Western Mindanao Command, admitted that the military has previous unsettled bills with CMC which he estimated at about P1 million, also for the care of soldiers wounded in action.

Mislang said funds for the treatment of soldiers were scant.

But Lieutenant Colonel Randolph Cabangbang, Westmincom spokesman, said each military unit has an allocation budget for treatment of wounded soldiers although he did not specify how much this amount was.

He said the problem could be lack of communication between the CMC and Susulan’s unit.

Emma’s problem was partially solved when Philippine Army chief Lieutenant General Arturo Ortiz intervened.

Through Ortiz’s order, the military remitted about P200,000 to cover part of the soldier’s bill on Friday.

Monalisa Custodio, the hospital’s social worker, said Susulan’s standing bill was slightly over P70,000 and medicines were given again on Friday.

But as her husband’s condition remained critical and medicines were continuously being provided, Emma was wondered if money from the Army would continue coming.

Major General Noel Coballes, commander of the 1st Infantry Division, said the military has since forged an agreement with CMC.

“Whatever amount we will incur, we will pay it,” he said.