The AFP at 75

(The Philippine Star) Updated December 21, 2010 

The first time Corazon Aquino addressed the Philippine Military Academy as president, she told them, “Welcome home, my soldiers.” It was an acknowledgment of the role played by the military in the people power revolt that catapulted her to power in 1986. It also highlighted the change in the public perception of the Armed Forces of the Philippines after the peaceful revolution, from enforcer of authoritarian rule to defender of democracy.

Today Corazon Aquino’s only son will address the AFP as commander-in-chief, as the military marks its 75th year. In the two-and-a-half decades since democracy was restored, the AFP has continued to battle problems that have tainted its image as defender of the nation. One consequence of the 1986 revolt was the growth of a coup virus in the AFP that to this day may not yet be completely eradicated. The series of coup attempts during the first Aquino presidency set back efforts to put the country’s economy back on its feet. In the next administrations, continuing political instability became a deterrent to investment.

The restoration of democracy also did not put an end to human rights violations attributed to the military. Since 1986 the AFP has been blamed for the deaths and disappearances of hundreds of left-leaning activists. AFP officials have denied most of the charges, insisting that the deaths occurred in the course of legitimate counterinsurgency operations. In its 75th year, the AFP is no longer an instrument of state repression and the systematic violation of human rights. But it must acknowledge a continuing need to improve its human rights record even as it battles threats to national security.

Today the AFP celebrates its anniversary amid a three-week Yuletide truce with communist rebels. The eve of the ceasefire was marred by an ambush staged by the New People’s Army, which left 10 soldiers and a young boy dead. The attack did not help confidence building ahead of the resumption of formal peace talks, but the AFP has vowed to follow the lead of its commander-in-chief in pursuing peace.

With the economy unable to grow fast enough since 1986, the AFP has also remained poorly equipped and needing assistance from the country’s allies. The Philippine military, now one of the weakest in the region, must be given the necessary equipment to provide credible defense. This is one thing the new commander-in-chief can commit as the AFP turns 75.