March 6, 2000, The Philippine Star, No limit in number of new CAFGUs,

March 6, 2000, The Philippine Star, No limit in number of new CAFGUs, 

DAVAO CITY - An unlimited number of militiamen will be mobilized for the government's counter-insurgency campaign, Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado said here yesterday.

Sen. Rodolfo Biazon said last week at least 35,000 members of the paramilitary Citizens Armed Force Geographical Units (CAFGU) will be deployed to fight communist rebels and Muslim secessionists.

"We are not setting a limit to it since it will depend on a lot of factors such as the population and the needs of the locality and at the same time on the financial capability of the barangays to fund the ope-ration of the CAFGUs," Mercado said.

Mercado said emphasis should be given to the criteria that would be set in screening applicants for enlistment as active CAFGU members.

"It is not so much the number," he said. "It is more on being able to make sure that measures are put in place that these CAFGUs are well-trained and that their activities will be constantly monitored and checked. What is important is for these CAFGUs not to abuse their powers and that they will be supervised properly."

A total of P1 billion has reportedly been allocated for the operational expenses of new CAFGU forces in Mindanao.

Militiamen are believed to be more effective in counter-insurgency because they know the people within their communities as compared to soldiers from the Armed Forces.

Meanwhile, Mercado said he opposes plans to arm vigilante groups that have been formed in certain localities as a means to fight crime.

"As much as possible, we would want to get rid of these groups," he said.

Vigilantes are allegedly behind the killing of suspected criminals, especially drug dealers in urban areas.

Meanwhile, Makati Rep. Joker Arroyo said the deployment of militiamen, whom he described as "mercenaries recruited to fight insurgency," would lead to more injustice and abuses.

The militiamen "are unpaid, generally uneducated and pitifully untrained" in military duties that they are prone to commit abuses against civilians, he added.

Arroyo urged President Estrada to reject plans to reactivate the CAFGU so his administration would not be accused of human rights violations.

"It's the gun and not the salary that enticed one to be a CAFGU," he said. "You give a guy a measly salary (P60 a day), and what does he do? He uses the gun to terrorize and abuse civilians in his neighborhood and his vicinity. "

He said the Armed Forces is not answerable for any atrocity committed by militiamen because they are not subject to military discipline, the Articles of War, and other laws that govern men in uniform.

"CAFGUs are not subject to court martial," he said. "In short, if they are caught for any offense, their superiors are not answerable thereby. Such circumstances make the CAFGUs wild and abusive mercenaries." - With Liberty Dones