Ka Leody wants less personnel for PNP, AFP, more for Navy, Coast Guard

Labor leader and presidential candidate Leody de Guzman on Monday said that he would reduce the number of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel, and instead fortify the Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) if he wins the May 9 polls.

“Babawasan natin ‘yung AFP–155 [thousand] yata ‘yan–gawin lang nating 95 [thousand] ‘yung bilang. ‘Yung bilang ng mga heneral, bawasan natin, sobrang dami. ‘Yung pulis, nasa 220 [thousand], gawin lang nating 150-175 [thousand],” de Guzman said during the Pilgrims for Peace interview.

[We will reduce the number of AFP personnel from 155,000 to 95,000. We will also reduce the number of generals because there are a lot of them. For the police, we will reduce them from 220,000 to 150,000 to 175,000.]

He added that all officials and personnel of the AFP and PNP will undergo re-education and will be oriented about human rights. Those who will not abide will be removed from their post, he added.

“Sa tingin ko, madali lang maga-grasp ‘yung pag-respeto sa karapatang pantao at pagiging makatao, hindi sa pagiging marahas. Dahil karamihan naman sa’ting mga pulis at sundalo, mga anak ng manggagawa ‘yan, mga magsasaka at nahubog ‘yan sa paggalang at pag-respeto sa kapwa,” he said.

[I think respect for human rights and humanity, and not violence, could be easily grasped. Most of our policemen and soldiers are children of workers and farmers and they were molded by respect and respect for others.]

De Guzman’s running mate professor Walden Bello on Monday claimed that the Philippine military is “the biggest block to internal peace in the country.”

The labor leader also previously said resumption of the peace talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF is no longer needed should the government meet the rebels’ demands.

He said he has read the armed group’s proposals on land reforms, justice system, public service, and policies for workers and farmers and he thinks that all are just. 

De Guzman said that he would strengthen and increase the personnel of the Philippine Navy and PCG, considering the West Philippine Sea (WPS) issue which hounds the relationship between the Philippines and China.

“Kailangan natin ‘yan dahil dito sa usapin ng West Philippine Sea. Kailangan naman natin [silang] i-upgrade sila at pondohan, dagdagan ng personnel kung kinakailangan, na para ang ating mangingisda at baybay-dagat natin ay maprotektakan nang sa gayon ay hindi pati municipal water natin ay ipinapasok ng mga commercial fishing vessel,” he said.

[We need those developments because of the issue of the West Philippine Sea. We need to upgrade them, fund them, and increase their personnel if necessary, so that our fishermen and our coastline would be protected and so that even our municipal water is not entered by commercial fishing vessels.]

De Guzman earlier said that the Chinese actions in the WPS should be stopped not just for the Philippines, but for all claimants’ benefits.—LDF, GMA News