More police, soldiers to be recruited

President Gloria Arroyo plans to beef up the military and police by enlisting some 7,000 new soldiers and 5,000 additional policemen, a lawmaker revealed yesterday.

House of Representatives member, Abraham Mitra, said Arroyo is requesting funds in the proposed 2003 national budget for new recruits into the armed forces and the Philippine national police (PNP).

The apparent strengthening of the armed services comes amidst pronouncements from Arroyo of her government's intention of improving the stability of the country by building what the president described as a "strong republic".

"The hiring of additional soldiers and policemen is apparently meant to put muscle in the strong republic," Mitra said. He said the requested amount for the recruitment of 7,000 soldiers is P800 million ($16 million).

"This is only for salaries. It does not include the cost of training the recruits and equipping them," he explained.

He pointed out that the legislature should study if there is really a need to increase the ranks of soldiers and policemen.

Mitra, a former captain in the Marines, pointed out that a substantial number of soldiers and policemen are just being used by politicians and bureaucrats as personal bodyguards.

"They should be recalled and assigned to the field. In the case of the PNP, we lack policemen who patrol the streets," he said.

Arroyo has also called for a build-up of the armed forces and police in view of the communist insurgency movement in the country.

Lt. Gen. Roy Cimatu, the military chief, said the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People's Army, has been able to expand the number of villages under its influence over the past 10 years as the armed forces and the police had focused on addressing the Muslim separatist movement in the south.