Real talk by real soldiers on corruption

Many voices are speaking out about corruption, but we never hear from our soldiers.

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Our soldiers are acutely conscious of the social, economic, and political events driving the nation beyond the military situation. Their lives are not isolated. They intelligently debate and analytically wrestle with these topics within the confines of their camps. However, they are not allowed to voice their opinions in public. With challenges across the West Philippine Sea and insurgency in the rural areas, corruption strikes at the soul of our military forces and, thus, our national security.

On corruption, a soldier summed it up quite well, “Frustrations and desperations. That’s what we always talk about.” Even more blunt was another voice when he said in Filipino, “Everyone knows, Sir, how corrupt the system is—the system is corruption, or corruption is the system—not that the system is merely corrupted.” While another griped, “We have...faced danger, and stood firm in the most remote corners of our nation to...uphold the legitimacy of our government. These sacrifices must never be repaid with broken trust.” These statements are first person reactions from active military personnel.

Three primary ways in which corruption affects national security.

Primarily, it corrodes institutions. Misappropriated funds deprived our soldiers of the equipment they require to defend the nation and its people. An officer bemoaned in Filipino, “There is deep frustration and dismay among officers over alleged corruption, as resources to strengthen defense capabilities are diverted.” Another acknowledged also in Filipino, “So this is what we get in return for our sacrifices.”