A lawmaker has filed a bill seeking to provide mandatory
full medical assistance to soldiers and policemen wounded while in the
performance of their duty.
Rep. Scott Davies S. Lanete (3rd District, Masbate )
said House Bill 5933 aims to lessen, if not totally alleviate, the physical,
mental, and financial sufferings of the uniformed men while they are on duty.
Lanete said the incident involving the death of the Fallen
44 and the wounding of the rest of the SAF troopers during the Jan. 25
Mamasapano clash raised awareness on the risks members of the Armed Forces of
the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) face daily to
fight terrorist organizations and extremist groups in the country.
“While our soldiers and policemen fight so the rest of us
can be free and sovereign, they risk their lives without any complaint and
hesitation,” he said.
The Masbate solon said
hearings in the Senate regarding the Mamasapano incident revealed that members
of the PNP stationed in danger zones and tactical units receive a hazard pay
amounting to a meager P240 per month and a combat pay of P340 a month.
“It was also revealed that AFP soldiers stationed in conflict
areas receive combat pay of only P240 per month,” Lanete said.
He said with the risk inherent in such missions, the
concerned PNP and AFP troops only receive measly salaries, allowances and
benefits in exchange for the dangers they face in fulfilling their duties.
Lanete, a vice chairman of the Committees on Appropriations,
on Poverty Alleviation, and on Public Order and Safety, said that there are
laws already in place to provide financial assistance to wounded uniformed men
while on duty.
“But these laws are not adequate enough to help and
alleviate their physical, mental, psychological and financial sufferings,” he
lamented.
Under the bill, a mandatory full medical combat pay is
granted to uniformed men while on duty.
The full medical combat pay shall cover all expenses
necessary and related to the immediate care and recovery of the wounded
uniformed men including their post-care and recovery.
The measure further states that all wounded uniformed men
shall be entitled to the medical combat pay the moment they are admitted in a
hospital or medical clinic for care and shall continue to be entitled thereto
until such time that a qualified physician declares them fully recovered, both
physically and psychologically.
The bill was referred to the Committees on National Defense
and Security and on Public Order and Safety headed by Reps. Rodolfo G. Biazon
(Lone District, Muntinlupa City) and Jeffrey P. Ferrer (4th District, Negros
Occidental), respectively.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=819387
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