Manila probes misuse of military aircraft

Manila probes misuse of military aircraft

MANILA (AFP): Philippine President Fidel Ramos yesterday ordered the defense department to look into alleged misuse of military transportation amid charges that politicians were getting free rides for campaign purposes.

His order came as senators quarreled in public over allegations that some of them abused their privileges by riding military aircraft to visit provinces for thinly-disguised political sorties well ahead of the 1995 elections.

Ramos told a regular news conference without directly referring to the senate controversy that he had instructed the defense department to "have this matter carefully investigated."

"The use of military transportation on air, land and sea, must be cleared by the secretary of national defense or the office of the president if used by civilian officials," he said.