The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is using CAFGU recruitment and personnel for profiteering. This was exposed by Ariel Montero, spokesperson of the NPA-Northeastern Mindanao Region. Montero said that there are around 100 CAFGU detachments in the region at present. On top of this are SCAA detachments which supply mercenaries to mining and plantation corporations. There are more or less 40 CAFGU troopers stationed in each detachment or a total of 4,000 in 100 detachments in the region.

On paper, CAFGU elements are compensated with a monthly salary of P4,500 each (P18 million a month in total). But in reality, their salaries are not released on time and are used, instead, as capital by military officials in their loan and other businesses. Interest rates from these loans range from 5-20%. Thus, military officials in the region are able to rake in up to P10.8 million in profits per quarter. To make ends meet, CAFGU troopers and their families are compelled to take out loans from “cooperatives” established by AFP officials and their merchant-usurer counterparts.

Montero also revealed that 75th IB and 36th IB are competing among themselves to come up with the most number of fake surrenders because they are desperate to get promoted as division commanders. In their desperation, they are using even the peasant masses’ hunting rifles as evidences in parading surrenderees. Even those who they suspect of being sympathizers of the NPA and their families are considered surrenderees. AFP officials are using the surrender program as a milking cow. Seldom, if they receive anything at all, do “surrenderees” receive the promised P65,000 financial aid.