THE Department of Justice (DOJ) supports the passage of House Bills 519 and 520 introduced by Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon which seeks to raise funds for the modernization of the Armed Forces and help shed its image as one of the weakest military in the Asia-Pacific region.
HB 519 intends to create a Military Real Estate Development Authority tasked with raising funds and to undertake the disposal and manage the commercial development of military real estate through asset management contracts.
HB 520 is designed to expand the allocation of revenues from the sale, lease, joint venture agreements and other transactions involving military reservations and bases.
“In this connection, this Department fully supports the passage of House Bill No. 519 and with a suggestion for some amendments of House Bill No. 520, treating the bills as timely response to the deteriorating territorial dispute with the People’s Republic of China,” Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said in a 10-page legal opinion.
De Lima suggested the deletion of a provision in HB 520 which mandates the concurrence by concerned major service commanders prior to the sale of portion of military camps and the disposition of their proceeds.
“It is the opinion of this Department that the concurrence of the AFP chief of staff and the separate approvals of the Secretary of National Defense and the Congressional Oversight Committee are enough to bestow legitimacy and dependability/reliability to the Master Development to be prepared by the Bases Conversion Development Authority,” De Lima said.
The Philippines and China have been embroiled in a territorial dispute over parts of South China Sea, prompting calls to modernize and upgrade the capability of the AFP.
The government has already allocated P85 billion for the purchase of military equipment, including a squadron of Korean-made FA50 trainer-light combat aircraft, radars and two brand-new missile-equipped frigates.
http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/more-funds-military-build-backed
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