Bulatlat News
By JADE ABERIN
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – “Funds for social services, not for state terrorism!”
This is what human rights activists said as they assailed the budget increase for the Department of National Defense (DND), saying public funds will be used to fund human rights violations.
The agency’s proposed 2025 budget is pegged at P254.1 billion ($4.3 billion), based on the National Expenditure Program. This is P15.75 billion higher or about 6.61 percent more than its current budget.
In the proposed 2025 appropriation, the DND is allocating $2.48 billion or 58 percent of its budget to personnel services, $1.3 billion or 31 percent for maintenance and other operating expenses and $479.1 million or 11 percent for capital outlay.
On Thursday, Aug. 29, progressive groups gathered in front of the House of Representatives to oppose this planned budget increase.
“This fund is allocated for killings and for more human rights violations against the people. Because since the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office, even without this large budget for the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, hundreds, if not thousands, of human rights violations against the people have already been recorded,” Cristina Guevarra, secretary-general of rights group Desaparecidos, said during the protest.
Under the Marcos Jr. administration, human rights group Karapatan said it recorded 105 cases of extrajudicial killings and 75 cases of frustrated extrajudicial killings, with most victims being civilians labeled as New People’s Army fighters allegedly killed in encounters. There were also 42,426 victims of forced evacuations, 63,379 victims of indiscriminate firing, up to 44,065 victims of aerial bombings and artillery strikes as of June 30, 2024, and 13 cases of enforced disappearances as of August 2024.
“Let us ask where the AFP spent the money. Let us ask about those numerous Black Hawk helicopters, bombs, and bullets and who they attacked with it,” Karapatan secretary-general Cristina Palabay said.
Read: ‘Rights situation has not improved under Marcos Jr.’
Read: Aerial bombing violates int’l humanitarian law
Butch Lozande of Ugnayan ng mga Manggagawa ng Agrikultura (UMA) said that farmers are among the most affected by military atrocities.
He cited the recent case of harassment, intimidation, and coercion of farmers to “surrender” in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, particularly in the areas of Barangay Paradise 3 and Tungkong Mangga.
“Farmers are being harassed in their homes, threatened, and told to go to barangay to ‘clear’ their names. Else, they are warned that something bad might happen to them. They are also forced to write statements dictated by elements of the 80th Infantry Battalion (IB) to withdraw their support for the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas,” Lozande said. “They said it’s for peace. But what kind of peace will prevail if the ordinary, simple, legitimate rights of farmers are being suppressed and violated?”
Read: Crackdown, psywar vs Bulacan farmers intensify
While the DND is receiving additional funding, other sectors are facing budget cuts. Among them are the Department of Health with a P23-billion decrease, the Department of Labor and Employment with a P15-billion reduction, state colleges and universities with a P14-billion cut, and the agriculture sector with P10.4 billion slashed based on the NEP for fiscal year 2025.
“Our call is to thoroughly scrutinize the budget of the entire defense sector and make significant cuts. These funds should be redirected to agriculture, to education so that many youth who have no chance to study can have access to education, and to health issues because many people are falling ill right now,” said Jerome Adonis, secretary-general of Kilusang Mayo Uno and a senatorial candidate under the Makabayan bloc.
“Remember, the Filipino people cannot be silenced through various forms. As long as severe unemployment, low wages, lack of services, and grave human rights abuses persist, they will continue to speak out,” he stressed.
ACT Teacher Rep. France Castro also joined the protest action. “In scrutinizing the budget of the DND, we will look into items that are being used for terrorism against our fellow citizens,” she said. (JJE, DAA) 
