AFP denies 'malicious' claims on alleged P15-B military ghost projects

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Friday described as “malicious” the claims of alleged P15 billion worth of military ghost projects from 2023 to 2025.

In a statement, the military organization said the accusations circulating online are “completely false, irresponsible, and clearly intended to discredit the AFP and its leadership.”

“For the record, there are no ‘ghost projects’ in the AFP. The AFP neither implements nor receives funds for infrastructure projects,” the AFP said.

“All military facilities constructed under the Tatag ng Imprastraktura para sa Kapayapaan at Seguridad (TIKAS) program are funded and implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH),” he added.

According to the AFP, the “completion” mentioned in the misleading post refers only to the completion of a particular phase of construction for a specific fiscal year and not the entire project.

“For instance, a 10-storey building may be funded and built in multiple phases across several years. Each phase is completed in accordance with the approved program of works and budget for that year,” it said.

“Hence, to claim that a ‘completed phase’ equates to a ‘ghost project’ is a gross misrepresentation of how government infrastructure budgeting works,” it added.

TIKAS projects

AFP chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. pointed out that no funds in connection with the TIKAS projects were released to the military organization as the DPWH was the agency managing them.

“Gusto ko lang pong liwanagin na yung TIKAS projects ay hindi po nairi-release iyong pondo sa AFP. Yung pondo po ng TIKAS projects ay nairi-release sa DPWH,” Brawner told reporters in an interview.

(I just want to clarify that the TIKAS projects are not released to the AFP. The TIKAS projects are released to the DPWH.)

“And DPWH is the one that does the planning, the bidding, and the implementation of the project. Kami po sa AFP kami lang po ang nagsasabi kung ano iyong kailangan namin,” he added.

(And DPWH is the one that does the planning, the bidding, and the implementation of the project. We at the AFP only tell what we need.)

On Thursday, the Department of National Defense (DND) said it has recommended scrapping the unfinished military infrastructure projects under the DPWH.

This was after Senate Finance Committee chairperson Sherwin Gatchalian, in a Senate hearing on the DND budget earlier this week, flagged the DPWH’s unfinished projects for the Philippine Air Force under the TIKAS program.

Following the hearing, Gatchalian vowed to transfer the P3 billion allocation for TIKAS projects from the DPWH to the DND for 2026 due to low completion rates and idle infrastructure projects.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr supported Gatchalian’s proposal.

Brawner said he is also in favor of the transfer of funds from the DPWH to the DND for the military infrastructure projects in 2026.

“I am very much in favor. I am in favor of that nang sa gayon ay masiguro namin na walang magiging ghost project, masiguro namin na talagang high quality iyong mga projects na ito,” he said.

(I am very much in favor. I am in favor of that so that we can ensure that there will be no ghost projects, we can ensure that these projects are really high quality.)

“Dahil pwedeng gawin ng ating mga AFP ang ating mga Army, Navy, or Air Force engineers. And aside from that kung hindi po kaya ng ating mga mga engineers sa Armed Forces ay sisiguraduhin namin na yong mga contractors na gagawa nito ay mahusay and properly iyong pag-implement nila.” he added.

(Because our AFP can do it with our Army, Navy, or Air Force engineers. And aside from that if our engineers in the Armed Forces can’t do it, we will ensure that the contractors who will do it are efficient and proper in implementing them.) — RSJ, GMA Integrated News