Defense department asking for P2.5 billion replenishment

September 15, 2017

The Department of National Defense (DND) is asking P2.5 billion to replenish the military's funds which was largely used to address Marawi crisis.

In the Mindanao Hour briefing on Friday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said his office has already submitted the request for additional fund to the Department of Budget and Management.

"I think the amount that was requested is something like 2.5 billion (pesos). Because what happened was that, we did not ask additional budget from the government to prosecute our operations in Marawi," he said.

He noted that the Armed Forces of the Philippines used its other funds to procure ammunition, fuel, medicines and other incidental expenses in Marawi.

A huge portion of the fund used was for ammunition and explosives, he said.

The government forces have been pursuing the Islamic State-inspired terrorists in Marawi since May 23.

Lorenzana said Congress has promised to enact a law for supplemental budget should the need arise.

He said the military needs replenishment this third or fourth quarter because its budget is tied up.

Lorenzana said funds needed to rebuild Marawi could be higher than the P50 billion that he initially estimated.

This was after he saw the extent of the devastation in the city when he accompanied President Rodrigo Duterte in Marawi last Monday.

Lorenzana said the interagency post-conflict assessment group has started its work in areas in Marawi already cleared of terrorists.

"So in two weeks time, especially if the firefight is finished, we will be able to just accurately determine how much we’ll need to rehabilitate Marawi City," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS