I pretty much agree with "Calm Seas", much to the chagrin of "pinoyisme". I too, lived in the Philippines for more than 10 years, speak the language and have always viewed the AFP and their exploits with a healthy dose of skepticism. Jeez, with all of the coups that were initiated by members/former members of the military, you start to wonder whose side they were fighting on. Gringo Honasan never received so much as a slap on the wrist for his role in the coups and eventually became a senator of the land. In another instance, the AFP surrounded a whole group Abu Sayaaf members in a hospital somewhere in Basilan (probably around 1998 time frame) only to let them slip through their "cordon sanitaire" once money exchanged hands. I got to see the AFP in action up close and personal on March 29, 2003 when the NPA decided to try and celebrate their 34th anniversary with a bang near my house on the boundary of Angat and Pandi in Bulacan. I don't question the loyalty and bravery of the enlisted soldiers, who went into battle without many of the advantages and the gear that American soldiers have. That battle raged almost constantly for more than 13 hours, but somebody in the chain of command had the audacity to schedule a lunch break promptly at 1200 and then call off the attack at 1815 local even though they had military superiority, several armored vehicles and had the bad guys boxed in. Barking dogs let everyone know the egress route of the NPA, but the AFP had called it quits because it was getting dark. I could list other specific examples, but why bother. Just please explain to me how someone with an AFP military salary obtains the money to buy houses in exclusive neighborhoods and properties in the provinces if their are no shenanigans going on? I'm sure things have improved incrementally as they always do in the Philippines, but let's deal with reality and not view things as the spinmeisters wish they would be.