The Armed Forces leadership strongly denied allegations that soldiers took money from the safe of former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. during the raids in their mansions when a state of emergency was declared in the province.

The AFP made the statement in response to reports that some P400 million to P600 million in cash was found and confiscated from the Ampatuan patriarch’s mansion in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, during a raid by joint government forces.

AFP spokesman, Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. said, “We vehemently deny that the AFP received or got or recovered any amount of money from the safe of the mansion of Andal Ampatuan Sr. or any other safe that were found in any of the homes or in any other raids that were conducted.”

“The accusation that AFP members took the money is not true,” said Brawner. All items recovered from the Ampatuan mansions were itemized down to the last bullet and cell phone, he said.

Brawner said there was total transparency in all the actions of the military during the implementation of martial law in the province, adding that all raids were conducted in the presence of members of the media and even members or representatives of the Ampatuans.

He said there were instances when elements of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and representatives from other government agencies like the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and local government units (LGUs) were present during the raids. He said footage were even taken and were later aired in some TV stations.

“Lahat ng raids na ginawa ng AFP ay may kasamang media and this can be attested by media personalities na nandoon sa lahat ng mga raid, specifically sa raid na ginawa natin sa bahay ni Ampatuan Sr.,” Brawner said.

“Aside from that maayos ang pagsagawa ng raid, kumatok ang mga authorities, pinapasok sila ng mga miyembro ng pamilya ng Amptuan sa loob at mismong members ng family ang nagbukas ng safe,” Brawner said, adding that “when the troops came in what they saw was an empty vault.”

“However, we have information that there were indeed amounts of cash that were hidden by the Ampatuans. But until now we have not yet recovered any amount that were hidden allegedly by the Ampatuans,” he said.

Brawner said they have no idea about the money being mentioned in the reports.

“So hindi din namin alam saan nanggaling yun sinasabing nawawalang pera na last month they said was P400 million, today its P600 million, so hindi din kami magtataka kung next month maging P800 million,” he said.

“So these are all pure allegations, baseless allegations by members of the Ampatuan clan. Nakikita natin ang mismong nagbibintang sa AFP ay members din ng Ampatuan family. So by this alone makikita natin na doubtful ang motive nila sa pagsasabi nun,” he added.

Brawner said the mission given to the AFP was very specific, and that is to recover anything that can be used to prove the involvement of the family Ampatuan in the massacre.

“And as per authority that was given to us by the DoJ this includes also cash or any monetary funds or any other legal documents that we can recover,” he said.

Meanwhile, the general who was relieved from his post as commander on the ground in Maguindanao after the November 23 massacre has been appointed vice commander of the Philippine Army.

Maj. Gen. Alfredo Cayton, former commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, has been named Army vice commander, barely two months before he retires from service.

Prior to his new assignment, Cayton was cleared by the AFP Inspector General of being remiss in his responsibilities as ground commander when the massacre occurred.

Cayton is due to retire in February. His appointment was approved by the AFP Board of senior officers.