Just in time for Christmas, the Sandiganbayan antigraft court on Friday ordered the release of former military comptroller Carlos Garcia, who had been detained for the past six years while on trial for amassing P303 million in ill-gotten assets.
The Sandiganbayan Second Division has granted Garcia’s petition for bail and ordered the Philippine National Police to release him from its custody.
. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20101218-309627/Sandigan-frees-general-facing-plunder-charges
Marcelo said the plea bargaining agreement, which allowed Garcia to enter guilty pleas for the lesser and bailable offenses of direct bribery and violation of Section 4-B of the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA), is illegal.
“Under the rules of court, a plea bargaining agreement may only be entered if the prosecution has not yet started the presentation of evidence. In this case, the prosecution has already completed it. Further, the court has already ruled that the prosecution has presented sufficient evidence to convict Garcia,” he said in a text message.
The group Pagbabago! People’s Movement for Change, meanwhile, said the plea bargain deal is a toleration of military corruption. The group slammed prosecutors’ “distorted logic” for claiming that the agreement “saves the government from unnecessary expenditures” and allows it to immediately recover P135 million.
“In the first place, the issue should not be measured in narrow financial terms alone because corruption is a moral and governance issue,” the group said.
It also added that it could not see how the government can benefit from the plea bargaining deal when Garcia is being made to account for P303 million in ill-gotten assets and not only P135 million.
Plunder
Garcia, together with his wife and three sons, were originally charged with plunder and violation of Section 4-A of AMLA.
Plunder is punishable by reclusion perpetua while Section 4-A, which refers to direct transaction of laundered money, carries 7 to 14 years imprisonment and P3 to 6 million in fines. Section 4-B refers to the act of allowing money laundering to happen.
Pagbabago! expressed fear that the government prosecutors’ mishandling of the Garcia case indicates how the Aquino government will treat other corruption cases involving officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
It noted that President Aquino has even promoted one of the high ranking PNP officers implicated in the so-called “Euro Generals” scam.
Last September, Sr. Supt. Thomas Rentoy III has been promoted by Aquino to Chief Superintendent, making him a one-star general, despite graft charges filed against Rentoy and other police officials who were stopped at the Moscow airport in 2008 for carrying undeclared cash in excess of the permissible limit.
AFP respects Sandiganbayan decision
The Armed Forces on Friday said it is respecting the decision of the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan on the case of former military comptroller Garcia but added that it was expecting a “good judgment” on his case.
“The case of general Garcia is with the court. It’s in the jurisdiction of the court so whatever the court decides, that will be followed. That’s part of, you know, our judicial system…Of course, we respect whatever is the decision of the court,” said AFP vice chief Lt. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu.
On Thursday, Garcia pleaded guilty to the lower charge of bribery and violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act in exchange for the dropping of the graver offense of plunder involving over P300 million under a plea bargaining agreement.
Garcia, who reportedly amassed the wealth while he was the AFP deputy chief of staff for comptrollership, was allowed by the Sandiganbayan to post bail, pending court ruling on the charges which he pleaded guilty to.
“He pleaded guilty to a lesser offense which is actually bailable. We cannot really do away with our justice system. If it’s the law, it’s the law really,” Mapagu said.
Plunder is punishable by life imprisonment. On the other hand, the punishment for direct bribery is about four years while violation of AMLA is punishable by 4-7 years in prison.
Nevertheless, Mapagu said there is still no closure to the story of Garcia, who was convicted by a military court several years ago for conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman and conduct prejudicial to good order and military and sentenced him to two years in prison with hard labor and dishonorable discharge from the service.
“That’s not over yet really. He just posted bail. He still has cases…That is not yet final, meaning he just posted bail because he pleaded guilty to a lesser offense that is bailable,” said Mapagu.
When asked what result did the military expect on the Garcia case, Mapagu said: “We expect(ed) that the court will, on the basis of evidence and all that, plus testimonies, will come up with a good judgment on this case.”
“If he indeed committed a crime, for example if his case is plunder, then he should be punished accordingly, in accordance with what is stated in the revised penal code. Now, if the court finds him not guilty of the grave offense of plunder but guilty on a lesser offense, then they should also be meted appropriate punishment,” he said. With a report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News
ito yung corrupt na Greencard General!
Kaya they entered into a plea bargaining agreement ay dahil kapag tinuloy nila ang plunder case, madaming mga pangalan ang lulutang. In short, madaming malalaking pangalan ang sasabit.
#2 mike
sinabi mo! sabit na nga ang asawa at lahat niyang anak,paano pa kaya ang mga friends… Kung pinagpatuloy,baka buong AFP Chief-of-Staffs ni Gloria lahat sabit….
E-Firing Squad na iyan si General Kulimbat ng di na pamarisan.
Dapat ang tawag sa usaping ito e please bargain…not plea bargain, kasi nga po they are trying their best to find a win win solution para makaeskapo sa plunder case si General problem?
Walistik talaga ang paginterpet ng ating batas…selective ang promulgation nito, pagmaimpluwensya o madatung kayang ihanap ng butas upang mapababa ang sintensya o kaya makalaya sa kaso.
Wala akong masabi…mga utak-pulbura, lalo na yang si Ombudsama Simeon Marcelo…kunyari pa e makabayan pero isa rin itong pasaway at lapastangan sa ating Saligang Batas.
Pare-pareho lang sila ng kaliskis, mga bopol sa pag-intindi, pagpapatupad at pagsunod sa itinatadhana ang ating Konsti o mga batas.
#4, Cocoy
Opppsss, magpapasko Igan Cocoy…baka magkalimutan ang aginaldo ko sa Pasko ha ne!
Naku ang daming mafiring squad nito kasi ang dami nilang magnanakaw at sinungaling?
Igan Balweg,
Magkita na lang tayo sa Pinas sa susunod na pasko. Walang Bonus ang pensionado.hahaha!
How can one get a lucrative job in the Aquino administration? Simple: Just be anti-Gloria.
Igan Cocoy…buti pa ang pera e may tao, but ang tao laging kaninakapos ng pera…except kay General aba daang milyon ang kinurakot niyan?
#8, NFA rice
Magdilang anghel ka kaibigan…sa hilatsa ng PeNOY gov’t malabong mangyari yan kasi nga ganito yan, mga EDSA DOS conspirators ang mga kumag na yan?
Pustahan tayo…pagnaipakulong niya si gloria and her assholes, 100% walang kulang…walang bawas, magiging tagasuporta niya ako sa lahat ng laban!
Kauumpisa pa lang ng kanyang termino e kita na ang diskarte…aba naman ang itinalaga sa Tooth Commission e isa ring pasaway.
At maraming pasaway na civil socialites na kicked-out sa enchanted kingdom ni madam gloria at sila ngayon ang sidekick ni PeNOY.
Walang tulak-kabigin di ba…sila pa din na mga EDSA DOS conspirators ang siya ngayong nagbalik-pwesto at continuation lang ito ng Pidalista regime…magiging wrong lamang ang aking sapantaha ifs na maipakulong niya ang lahat ng mga kurap sa gobyernong arroyo or else sundan ang susunod na kabanata.
@balweg
Huwag na tayong mabigla. Ang pulitika ngayon ay playground lang naman ng political elite (EDSA crowd). We, the common citizens, are just pawns. Ang magpapagamit/pa-uto ay huwag na lang magreklamo.
napansin ko lang, ang daming lumalaya ngayon December 2010 ah!
My Christmas wish? makulong sana si putot at si tababoy kasama ang kanilang mga biik na nasa Tngress…anong ligaya ng marami…kahit isang taon lang….
Corruption in the Philippines will never stop until vultures like Garcia will really serve REAL jail time. Garcia was incarcerated but I do not know how long and since he was in the Camp, siyempre special treatment si General.
Yung ngang mga Euro generals eh hindi pa rin umuusad ang kaso hanggang ngayon.
Hopefully though, the marred name for the whole family of the Garcia’s will be a lesson for those who are thinking of the same activities. His kids were jailed in the US. What face would you show your relatives and friends and his underlings in the AFP. They will always be disdained. That is more than the jail time they all served. I think only his wife did not serve a jail time.
I believe too that the 300 Million or so that he was accused of pocketing did not all go to his pocket. The bansot generals also benefitted BIG. Mag lifestyle check na lang kayo sa mga generals, and even the corrupt majors and coronels and you will already know kung sino ang mga magnanakaw. At least ako, alam ko na ang mga kamaganak ko sa AFP eh hindi mga corrupt. Wala pa ring mga bahay hanggang ngayon kahit na matataas na ang naging ranko nila.
Itong paskong ito yung mga bata at matatanda lang ang may pamasko sa akin. This cuts down my list by 80%. Austerity muna. What counts is the thought that we will be together in celebrating the season of love. Afterall, ang tunay na diwa ng Pasko eh to celebrate Christ’s birth. Ginawa na lang ng mga businesses na profit center ang buying of gifts.
Rose, bakit naman isang taon lang ang jail time ni putot? Sobrang maikli naman yata yun. Yung mga Magdalos eh 7 taong mahigit at yung mga Tanay Boys eh mahigit 4 na taon.
Walang Pagbabago. Sa Lihis Na Daan Pa Rin Tayo. Parang playing Santa Claus ang mga korte natin. Blanket coverage.
Just a thought : Is the Aquino government scared of pursuing high profile cases against those who have plundered the nation’s coffers simply because the Military and/or Police hierarchy are still being held by Gloria in their balls and ASS-es? Not to mention the judges and Ombudsgirl? Dang! This could lead to people taking the law into their own hands and exact justice on their own. If this should happen anarchy would reign.
I would not be surprised if the Alex Boncayao Brigade would be reactivated, or a similar would crop up.
Next in bat… Euro Generals. WTF!
This could lead to people taking the law into their own hands and exact justice on their own. If this should happen anarchy would reign.
I would not be surprised if the Alex Boncayao Brigade would be reactivated, or a similar would crop up.
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This is exactly what Gloria and her cabal is counting on! only morons will fall for this trick…so lets be more circumspect in responding to issues that may crop up, they might just be bait…only fools rush in where angels fear to tread…if its too controversial – be careful…
Ang mga anak ni Garcia at ewan ko lang kung pati yong asawa ay nakakulong dahil doon sa mga pera na kinurakot nito mula sa kaban ng ating Bansa na gustong ipasok sa Bansang Amerika. Buti pa ang mga Kano na kung ikaw ay nagkasala ikaw ay tatanggap ng kaukulang parusa …. kahit sino ka pa.
Sa atin ano??? ano ???? ano ????? Buwakanang inang buhay Pinoy talaga … walang kabuhay buhay …. kung ikaw ay mahirap … patay ka!!!
Ang Batas ng ating Bansa ay para sa mayayaman at maimpluensiya lamang.
This is exactly what Gloria and her cabal is counting on! only morons will fall for this trick…so lets be more circumspect in responding to issues that may crop up, they might just be bait…only fools rush in where angels fear to tread…if its too controversial – be careful…
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This could part of plan of Gloria’s architects_Archie Intengan and Norberto Gonzales. To create an “Organized Chaos” ala’ Pseudo-Anarchy to propel people to go to the streets. I agree, we must be careful.
Magnakaw ka ng P300 Milyones ipapasoli lang sa yo P135M. Pakulong ka lang ng sampung taon.
Aba anak ng puta, ayos palang hanapbuhay yang pagnanakaw!
Si Garcia pa lang yan. Isama mo lahat ng ninakaw diyan sa AFP, wala na sigurong sundalong iiyak at sasagutin ng nga opisyal, “Kulang kasi talaga sa pondo, e”. Ilang bilyon na lahat-lahat iyan?
Tapos nagtitiyaga tayo sa mga trainer jets na kino-convert para maging fighter, mga kumpit ng Abu Sayaff, nagiging patrol craft, tapos yung mga barko’t eroplano kulang na lang ipanglimos.
Putang ina nilang mga kawatan!
question,… after entering to a plea bargain… di na ba pwede ibawi un plea bargain at ituloy na lang ang kaso?????
Magkano kaya ang “cut” ng mga Sandigan bayan judges? Maraming pambili ng mga regalo ang mga lintik!
Bilib ka sa anak ni Ex-Gen. Garcia, si Timothy Mark. eto basahin niyo nalang:
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/172250/son-of-ex-general-garcia-lives-in-style-amid-house-arrest
Bribery and violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act in exchange for the dropping of the graver offense of plunder involving over P300 million under a plea bargaining agreement…
What kind of a plea bargain or deal is this? Ang sandiganbayan mga kunsintidor talaga! Palitan na lang ang panagalan sandiganbayan..gawin na lang “Sandigan ng mga magnanakaw”! Mas bagay diba?
Mga gago ang mga prosecutor diyan bakit sila nakipag deal?
Nakalaya na si General Kulimbat sa piyansa ng P60,000.Anong kalseng matik-matik iyan.
“Buti pa ang mga Kano na kung ikaw ay nagkasala ikaw ay tatanggap ng kaukulang parusa …. kahit sino ka pa.” – tedanz
Here’s a good example: George Maloof, multimillionaire owner of the trendy Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and also the NBA Sacramento Kings was caught speeding in a 45mph avenue at past 11pm in early October of this year. Fast forward…his infractions for that night were; speeding, dui, failure to make a left turn, NO DRIVER’s license, and NO INSURANCE. He is due to appear in court in early January 2011.
As we all know, if this was Pinas..Georgie Boy will just slip 10 thousand pesos to patrolman patola and tell him “ayan pagmeryenda niyo ni misis”. Nothing happened.
And only several months back, George just hosted a 20+ thousand dollars a plate fund raising dinner in his residence. Will Barack come to the rescue? Hell No!!
It’s blessing and disguise too that Garcia’s wife and kids are US Citizens…otherwise, they could be extradited to Pinas and case swept under the dirty rug.
“Magnakaw ka ng P300 Milyones ipapasoli lang sa yo P135M. Pakulong ka lang ng sampung taon.
Aba anak ng puta, ayos palang hanapbuhay yang pagnanakaw!” TT
This reminds of a Bank Manager in Canada, who for two years I believe, stole a few million dollars to many trips in Las Vegas. He finally got caught, pleaded guilty and spent 6years in jail. (I can almost swear, the court didn’t order him to repay the bank). Told myself at that time, I don’t mind doing that..wink!
“His kids were jailed in the US. What face would you show your relatives and friends and his underlings in the AFP. They will always be disdained.” – psb
Tung si psb, eh palabiro..wink! carabao skin lahat ang mga yan…arroyo kids…garcia kids…greedy politician’s kids.
Magnanakaw to the extreme ang mga magulang but to them, there’s no truth to such accusations.
Yung bading na anak na publicist ng Marc Jacobs, lintek ang apartment sa New York. Isang milyong dolyares ang piyansa habang naghe-hearing ng extradition.
Tapos yung nagnakaw mismo P60,000 lang ang piyansa? Tangina nyo uli!
Papatay-patay kasi. Sinabi nang impeach the Ombudsgirl.
Ang Noy, hayun, fixated kay Corona. He poses the least danger, dahil one vote in fifteen lang.
Abangan yung plea bargain ni Abalos.
Notice to all would be plunderer…do it Big Time, very Big Time so when get caught, plea bargain…
jug #35
Pahiram lang yong isang word ha ….
Tanginang Hustisya talaga sa atin ….. Bulokkkkkkkkkkk!!!!!!
Pinag-piyansa pa ang magnanakaw … at barya pa …. puweeeeee!!!
Kaswerte ng plunderer na ito! Sino na naman ang nag-go over PNoy’s bald head para sa deal? Mukhang walang alam ang pangulo kasi ipare-review daw. Ano ba yan? Dapat pati yung opisyal na nakipag-deal kay Garcia ay ipakulong!
Grabe, laya na sa P60,000 lang ang nagnakaw ng P300M! Bakit deal ang ginawa, bakit hindi binawi lahat? Tinirhan pa ng P135M ang ungas na magnanakaw e pera din ng bansa yan?! Ang mga tarantadong ito!!!
Bakit ginawa ng Sandiganbayan ang deal, wasak ang plunder law!
Is the Sandiganbayan testing the waters for putang Gloria? Bulok na bulok ang hustisya sa Pinas, nangangamoy!
Yan ay gawain ng mga ipinuwesto ni Arroyo para mataranta si Aquino at para makalimutan yang kaso ng kanilang Reyna.
Dapat lang madaliin na nilang ipakulong yong mag-asawa baka mauna pang masipa si Aquino sa puwesto.
Madoff must be jealous right now. He wish that he’s a Filipino.
#42
🙂 🙂 🙂
Yong anak nga ni Madoff nagpakamatay pa sa kahihiyan …. pero itong mga Garcia …. ahhhhh ewan …. mga hayok sa pera!!!!
dont know the law,, has doj something to do with this?? di ba ang prosecutor ay from doj?? am i right?? so what happen…
Ang Prosecutor pumayag na ibalik na lang ni Garcia portion ng P303.27 million na ninakaw niya …. wow!!!!!!
Yong isang mahirap na nagnakaw lang ng kokonti puwedeng pahirapan siya at maikulong ng ilang taon o baka patayin pa … pero itong mga General na ito na nagnakaw ng milyon-milyones … inarugaan at pinalaya pa …. anong klaseng Hustisya iyan … puweeeeee!!!!
Walistik talaga ang paginterpet ng ating batas…selective ang promulgation nito, pagmaimpluwensya o madatung kayang ihanap ng butas upang mapababa ang sintensya o kaya makalaya sa kaso.—>Balweg
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Bakit nga ba ? Kapag mahirap ka, foolproof ang batas. Pero kapag mayaman ka, maraming loopholes ang batas. Nakita ba niniyo yoong litrato ni “lady Justice” (yoong babaeng nakapiring ang mata at naka-hawak ng espada sa isang kamay at timbanagn sa kabilang kamay) ?
Yoong espada niyang hawak sa kanang kamay ay para sa mga mahihirap gaya natin para tagpasin agad ang ating mga ulo.
Yoon namang timbangan sa kaliwa niyang kamay ay para duon sa mga “may-kaya”, which means that the law will find all the loopholes to acquit all of them no matter they be politicians, military men, influencial people and the like. Pantay-pantay talaga ang tingin ng batas sa kanila kaya level-na-level ang timbangan.
(Pasintabi na po doon sa mga matitinong mga abugadong bloggers dito at sa mga marami pang iba na totoong sumusunod sa rules of court.)
This general does not do PMA justice. Siya na yata nag pinaka-pangit na heneral na nag-graduate sa PMA (ha-ha-he).
Hindi ka na nahiya, Mr. General sir !!! Ikaw na ngayon ang poster boy ng corruption sa military. With very little known records of your true merits, I do not even know how you acquired that rank. And you are supposed to be somebody for the lowly soldier to look up to. Shame on you, General sir !! YOur plea bargain alone says you are indeed GUILTY as charged.
“Papatay-patay kasi. Sinabi nang impeach the Ombudsgirl.” – SnV
Di ba inimpeach nga siya itong taon na to at nag rule ang SC na di puede citing the 1 year prohibition?
“dont know the law,, has doj something to do with this?? di ba ang prosecutor ay from doj?? am i right?? so what happen…” – Rabbit
Special prosecutors ng Ombudsman yan, not the DOJ. Mga bataan ni Aling Merci. 😛
Laking pera niyan, isauli sa gobyerno ang kalahati tapos parte-parte ang lahat ng involved sa kalahati.
Sana matauhan na si Penoy sa nangyayari,iyung mga umareglo ang ipalit sa kulungan ni General Kulimbat pati na si Merci.
Madoff must be jealous right now. He wish that he’s a Filipino.————>cocoy – December 19, 2010 7:39 am
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Not at all. He still believes in the American justice system and its fairness. Sa pagkaka-kulong niya ngayon sa kalaboso, uma-asa siya na if he exhibited good conduct and exemplary behavior, he is guaranteed to have 5 years taken off his original sentence. So out of 150 years, he will just be spending a mere 145 years (hey, that’s better than nothing, ‘di ba ?). At kung hindi siya masa-saksak sa loob, aabutin siya ng 217 years pag labas niya (wow !!!).
Here’s to a long life ahead of him.
bakit nila isauli sa gobierno..nanakawin rin lang na mga nasa loob ngayon..di recycle lang…what comes around goes aroung…here we go round the mulberry bush…so early in the start….
I agree with you 30,327,000,000%!
Akala ninyo sina Gringo at Ping ang pinaka-bigtime sa Class ’71?
Si Garcia ang kampeon. Pati na sa kapal ng mukha.
Hayup talaga. Plunder ito, PLUNDER!!!
Parang yung first-degree murder nai-bargain lang na maging less serious physical injury. Bakit di na lang idinismiss, para mas masaya itong mga letse ito?