The days of soldiers blindly obeying orders are over. Following the precedent set by the Nuremberg trials, international law now recognizes a soldier’s right to refuse any order that is immoral, illegal, or unethical. In Papua New Guinea, this right is enshrined under Section 4 of the Defence Act 1974.
Yet, inside the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF), a dangerous trend has emerged. Members who stand by their training and ethos to speak out are being swiftly suppressed. They face sudden transfers, suspensions, or being moved to unallotted positions. Most recently, they are being discharged entirely.
This culture of silence was solidified around March 19, 2026, when Deputy Chief of Defence Force, Brigadier General Opa Lari Opa, issued a directive to cease the circulation of videos or posts regarding recruitment training.
“The only way to protect themselves including the organization is to expose this corruption,” said a current serving officer who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
“I want make it clear that the video in circulation show recruits being questioned on how they got recruited even after exceeding the age limit, was during the recruitment process and not during an investigation. In fact, no internal investigation has yet to be conducted by the PNGDF hierarchy as opposed to what has been stated in the media.”
Evidence now directly implicates the Minister and the Chief of Defence Force (CDF), Rear Admiral Philip Polewara, alongside Chief of Personnel Colonel Rodney Yahamani, who oversees recruitment.
Documents suggest Colonel Yahamani was fully aware of recruitment irregularities but pushed for the enlistment anyway. While Brigadier General Opa pointed out these flaws in a minute to Yahamani dated March 3, 2024, CDF Polewara ignored the warnings. By way of a footnote the very next day, Polewara endorsed the enlistment request.
The fallout has been swift for those seeking accountability.
Lt. Col. Joe Teriken, the PNGDF Chief of Training, has been discharged on dubious grounds. His “offense” was recommending the suspension of basic training to vet recruits and avoid potential mishaps.
Joining him in dismissal are Chief Warrant Officer Benson Eremas, involved in the 01/26 Basic Recruit enlistment, and another Chief Warrant Officer allegedly targeted for a social media post. These men, senior officers and NCOs with over 35 years of service, including tours in Bougainville, maintain that they were simply performing their mandated duties. They were discharged without investigation, charges, or adherence to the Compulsory Retirement process.
The saga was triggered by the public, incensed after filming recruits performing a “duck walk” march at 1-Mile, outside the Goldie River Training Depot. Following the discharge of the officers, a video was posted to Facebook exposing what many now call institutional and systematic corruption.
Another former PNGDF officer stated that the Prime Minister and the National Executive Council (NEC) must act immediately. He warned that this scandal undermines the government’s efforts under the Pukpuk Treaty and has the potential to create disorder among service personnel.
While Defence Minister Dr. Billy Joseph has voluntarily stepped aside amid these allegations, the pressure remains on the hierarchy.
Prime Minister James Marape has announced a high-level investigation, stressing a commitment to transparency. PM Marape stated yesterday that “the government faces a major task in reaching its 2030 target of 7,000 members” and assured that “those individuals will be removed” if found to have bypassed proper processes.
He further addressed the growing perception that merit-based recruitment is being sacrificed for political loyalty and personal connections.
As the investigation begins, the scandal continues to cast a long shadow over the country’s security and regional stability.
Retired Major General, Jerry Singirok is calling on those who are responsible to be held accountable and to be charged criminally as it is criminal behavior.
“The exposure by the whistleblowers in relation to unqualified candidates raises a serious national security issue,” Singirok said.
“At the end of the day, the buck stops with the commander, whether he knowingly or did not know, it’s still in his area because he has to be answerable as to how this whole saga had escalated.”
Parts of the feature image were sourced from the PNGDF Recruitment, News & Updates Facebook Page.
