THE Philippine Army yesterday said it is planning to form a counter-intelligence unit to monitor and subsequently prevent dishonorably discharged soldiers from getting involved in criminal activities.
Army spokesman Col. Xerxes Trinidad made the statement following the involvement of four discharged Army soldiers in the March 5 killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and eight others.
Four former Army soldiers have been arrested for the crime and are now cooperating in investigations, including ex-Sgt Joven Javier, a former member of the elite Light Reaction Battalion under the Army’s Special Operations Command.
The three others are ex-sergeant Joric Labrador of the 4th Military Intelligence Battalion, ex-corporal Benjie Rodriguez of the 35th Infantry Battalion, and Osmundo Rivero, also a former Army soldier who became a taxi driver.
The military said the soldiers were discharged from the service for violations of Articles of War such as involvement in illegal drugs, absence without official leave, and disorder and neglect to the prejudice of good order and military discipline.
“We are strengthening our counter-intelligence efforts to keep track of the activities of former soldiers, especially the dishonorably discharged personnel who possess special skills,” said Trinidad.
“We are also exploring the possibility of creating a dedicated counter-intelligence unit that will work closely with the Philippine National Police to prevent illegal acts that may be committed by current or former Army soldiers,” he also said.
Trinidad said the Army remains a “highly professional organization dedicated to serving the people and securing the land.”
He also said a “vast majority” of former Army soldiers are “law-abiding and contribute positively to their communities after their retirement from service.”
Trinidad said the Army is bolstering its values formation and character development programs for Army troops.
“A soldier with strong core values stays ethical, disciplined, and professional even off the battlefield and beyond military service,” he said.
TRANSITION PROGRAM
Trinidad said the Army is also considering a review of its Transition Assistance Program which provides education, training, livelihood, legal services and financial counseling to retiring personnel.
“We are looking at possibly expanding this program to include dishonorably discharged soldiers to help them start anew with their civilian lives,” he said.
“We call on all former soldiers to seek help if they are struggling with the transition to civilian life and to think carefully about the consequences of engaging in illegal activities,” said Trinidad.
Armed Forces spokesman Col. Medel Aguilar said Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner ordered the intensification of the Army’s counter-intelligence efforts on dishonorably discharged soldiers “as a precautionary measure to prevent them from using their skills they learned in the military in criminal acts like this (Degamo killing).”
Aguilar said soldiers involved in killings may have forgotten their training when they were still in the military, which is protect the people.
He said soldiers, prior to their entry into the military, undergo neuro-psychiatric test, noting that it is hard to entrust firearms to people with unstable minds. Also, this is to ensure they are not hiring people with violent tendencies.
“They (soldiers) also undergo education about the value of life, the very existence of soldiery which is to protect the people. It (soldiery) is not only the capture of enemy. Our objective is to protect the people. It should the priority, the primordial task of the military (and) fighting threat (groups) is just consequential,” said Aguilar.
