Nakakagalit ngunit hindi naman masyadong nakakagulat ang desisyun ng Sandiganbayan na aprubahan ang plea bargain agreement ng Ombudsman at ni dating Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia.
Matagal na itong plantsado ni dating Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez. Kaya nga noong Marso, nang pina-follow up noon ni Sen. Franklin Drilon kay Gutierrez sa imbestigasyon ng Senado ang kanyang sianbing ipahinto o bawiin ang plea bargain agreement kay Garcia, sinabi niya na pinag-aaralan pa nila. Mag-isang buwan na pag-aaral na yun at marami nang naibulgar si Col. George Rabusa. Talagang gusto talagang palayain si Garcia. At siyempre, nanggaling sa mas mataas ang kuntsabahan.
May nagsabi sa akin na isang mataas na opisyal sa administrasyun ni Gloria Arroyo ang lumalakad sa Sandiganbayan ng kaso ni Garcia. Ang usap-usapan kasi, malaking pera galing sa budget ng military ang napunta sa kampanya ni Arroyo noong 2004.
Si Garcia lang ang nakaka-alam niyan. Kaya kailangan talaga protektahan si Garcia.
Sabi ng Sandiganbayan, mahina daw ang ebidensya. Dahil nga sinadya ng Ombudsman na siyang nagaakusa kay Garcia na pahinain ang kaso. Hindi nga ginamit ang binigay ni Heidi Mendoza, auditor ng Commission on Audit, na P200 million na tseke na hinokos-pokus ni Garcia kasabwat ang mga opisyal ng bangko.
At talaga namang plantsado na ang deal kay Garcia. Kaya nga siya nakapag-piyansa at nakalabas e. Tapos, binalik na niya ang P135 na siyang usapan sa plea bargain agreement.
Tumatawa lang siguro si Garcia ngayon.Sa kanya na ang pera ng taumbayan na P168 milyon. Ang galing talaga ng kasunduan na binigay ni Gutierrez kay Garcia.
Ang mensahe na binigay ng Sandiganbayan ay, kung magnakaw ka ng pera ng bayan,lakihan mo para pwede mong ibalik ang iba, malaki pa ang maiwan sa iyo.
Mabuti lang may tax evasion charges na sinampa ang Bureau of Internal Revenue laban sa mga Garcia. Sana mahabol pa sila dito.
At hindi lang dapat si Garcia ang dapat habulin. Dapat sampahan din ng kaso si Gutierrez at ibang opisyal ng Ombudsman na kasabwat dito. At dapat hahantong ang pag-uusig kay Arroyo.
Grabe namang pagu-ulol ang ginawa nitong grupo ni Garcia, na kasama na rin sina Lt. Gen. Jacinto Ligot at ang yumaong si dating AFP Chief Angelo Reyes. Kasama na rin ang ibang AFP chiefs of staff na napartehan sa kurakutan sa military.
Hanggang ngayon, umaandar pa ang ang kabulukan na idinulot ni Arroyo at ng kanyang mga alagad. Kaya mahirap siya patawarin.
“At hindi lang dapat si Garcia ang dapat habulin. Dapat sampahan din ng kaso si Gutierrez at ibang opisyal ng Ombudsman na kasabwat dito. At dapat hahantong ang pag-uusig kay Arroyo.”
Madaliin at tapusin ang pagsampa ng kaso laban sa kanila, limang taon na lang si Pnoy! Halatadong masyado ang konek ng ni Sandi kay Merci!
E di plantsahin din si Merci (literally!)
Alam nila na PNoy will play fair and not hit them below the belt kaya hindi sila natatakot na tumira below the belt. Alam nila lamang sila kasi PNoy plays by the rules and they don’t.
Decente kasi yun hinalal natin. Kung ibang tao yan, inupakan na sila. Nakakainis makita ang labanan kasi nakatali ang isang kamay ni Pnoy, nakatali sa batas. Dapat may masampolan sa kanila kaya lang kung maglalaro ng kasing dumi si PNoy eh magiging katulad na rin siyang katulad nila.
Kaya maiiwan na lang sa pantasya ko na si PNoy kakausapin yan mga judge ng Sandigan at justice ng SC at sasabihin sa kanila “huwag ninyo akong subukan” sabay kasa ng Glock 9mm.
Sana nga kasahan na lang….hahaha! Joke only MB, hindi yan gagawin ni Pnoy!
So far wala naman ako pang reklamo sa pagpapaandar ni Pnoy ng sarili tungo sa kanyang matuwid na landas, mabagal pero ayon sa batas, sabi mo nga. Patient ako ngayon (pa). 🙂
Magaling talaga sila magplano. Ang suwerte naman ni Garcia kasi sa ninakaw niya ay hindi lahat maibabalik. Daig pa niya ang tumama sa lotto.
Sa nangyari na iyan parang hindi pa rin matuwid na landas ang tinatahak.
You want a nuclear solution? Abolish the Sandigan.
That court has limited jurisdiction – criminal cases involving graft and corruption. It is also a hybrid court, because when the case is against a low-ranking official, the case is filed before the RTC, and the Sandigan is the appellate authority. When the case is against a high-ranking official, it becomes a court of first instance.
Abolish it, and distribute the cases to the RTCs. Appeals should be made to the Court of Appeals.
Agree with Atty Sax…ABOLISH na lang ang Sandiganbayad! Our government cannot fix this bureaucrazy dahil the thieves, extortionist, and the corrupt are well entrentched in this office. If you cannot fix it ABOLISH IT and be DONE with it!!!
Pnoy should consider this option for the sake of JUSTICE, else walang pagbabago dating gawi ulit kapag tapos na termino niya.
Mercy isa kang konsitidor at traydor ng bayan.
Ang sabi ng kumpare ko, tayo pare marami pa rin natutulog sa pancitan. Kung ikaw sandiganbayad, tagal ka nang binayaran, may magagawa ka ba, kung ayaw mong mabulgar
kung magkano ang ibinayad sa inyo? Pare, bayad na yan
aba’y gusto nyo bang malaman ng buong mundo kung gaano
kamura ang presyo ng dignidad ninyo? Ayos ng matagal ang baraha ng nasaksakdal. HOY gising sabi ng kumpare ko.
napagusapan din lang naman ang pagplantya… ang sabi naman ng bubwit ko… ang buhay ng pinoy parang plantsa, damit at plantsadora. Ang damit, kapag hindi ka naging maingat sa pagsuot at pagkilos.. ito ay madalign malulukot… mas madalas ang galaw ng nagsusuot, lalong nalulukot… ang plantya, kapag ginamit sa sobrang lukot na damit… hindi dapat malamig.. dahil hindi uunat, hindi naman dapat sobra init, dahil masusunog. ang plantsadora naman, dapat maging matyaga at dapat maging maingat lalo na kung wala pa ganong ekspiryensa… alam dapat nya kung kailan at gaano kadami ang tubig at higit sa lahat kung gano lang dapat kainit ang plantsa…
yan ang ating gobyerno, ang nakaraan at kasalukuyan… kung walang malasakit ang namumuno kahit gano kagaling, siguradong magkandalukot-lukot gobyerno natin. kung may tyaga, malasakit at nasa puso… siguradong magtatagal ang pagplantsa… malukot ba naman ng halos sampung taon…
Ang plantsa! hahaha.. yun lang po!
As I said before, this is going to be a long drawn out battle for us. It wasn’t just the office of the Ombudsman, it is also the Sandiganbayan. And the Supreme Court. And the COA. And the House of Thieves and the chameleons in the Senate. And all agencies that still harbor Gloria’s chosen ones.
We can’t get disheartened. These setbacks should egg us to do more to battle these evils in our midst.
Kaya nga gusto ni Pnoy na matanggal si Maldita dahil alam niya na mahihina ang mga kasong isasampa sa mga alipores ni putot.
Unfortunately the bad eggs are all embedded in all branches of the government. With a super rotten president like the putot, siempre follow the leader. Those who played by her rules had a lucrative position. So lahat ng nakapwesto are the rotten ones. It will really take a lot of work for Pnoy to weed out all these corrupt cronies.
Kahit na wala ng magawang iba si Pnoy kundi magtanggal ng mg corrupt public servants, hahangaan ko pa rin siya. Until now, I like his vision of removing the cronies of putot. Keep it up Pnoy!
It is a tall order for Pnoy to eradicate corruption and I do not think he will completely eliminate the rotten system. But if he lives by example, that will go a long way.
this is disgusting.
Resultant of GMA’s bastardization of the government system- executive-legislative-judiciary including the military…
Anna @ number 2 plantsahin di si Merci…and now is the right time..she with no longer the “friends” to stick around and start with checking the Assets and lifestyle…she may have made more than she was supposed to had made, much, much more…and there is always a way of knowing…rewards…
One thing Pnoy must consider now if he really wants to stop corruption,,recall all security details given to all former govt. officials, lalo na ‘yung kagaya nina maldita,nakakagigil na eh
kung sakaling makulong si GMA, siguro doon pa lamang makukulong ang mga kaalyado nya, dahil until now wala pang nangyayari.
Sa mga nabasa sa internet news, ako ay kinakabahan na may mangyayari sa Pinas.Lalu na nang mabasa ko ang mga sinabi ni Rep. Gen Rodulpo Biazon. Lalu akong kinakabahan na malaking gulo pag nagkataon. Pero dapat lang para magkaroon ng katarungan ang mga naaaping sambayananers. Ang dami nang hindi kumakain nang tama at marami na ang nagugutom. Tapos ang milyones ay nasa kanila.
talagang halatang halata na si merci, pati na ang sandigan bayan justices na nag okay sa plea bargaining.. ang kanilang gustong ma proteksyonan ay ang mag asawang kawatan.. na aalala ba ninyo nuong kapa nahunan nila, si FG panay ang pa medical mission sa mga enlisted personnel ng AFP, andiyan iyong libreng pa ngipin, libreng pasalamin..at kung anu anong pambobola sa mga EP`s ng AFP, ang totoo pala siya ang ninong ng kurakutan sa AFP at gamit ang mga bagman na sila gen gacia at gen ligot..sana mag kaisa ang taung bayan at sila ay maparusahan.. linisin ang iniwan na basura ni GNA sa pamahalaan..!! siya ay ating parusahan, kasama ang mga demonyong alipores niya..!!
Ocayvalle, kaya pala naglalagi ang baboy sa bakuran ng AFP ay lumalamon ng pera at tinatapunan ng pustiso at antipara ang mga sundalo para walang reklamo. Ang cheap nya!
Wasn’t it former Ombudsman Marcelo that filed the weak case against Garcia? Then why is the plea bargain Merci’s fault?
Are we now accusing the Sandiganbayan to be Donya Pidal’s lapdogs too?
May kasabihan na “matalino man ang matsing ay naiisahan din.” Si Merci ay maituturing na isang matsing. Pero bakit hindi siya naiisahan?
chi, oca, naalala ninyo pa ba yung komento ni Manuel Buencamino tungkol diyan sa libreng pustiso ni FG noon?
Tongue, natandaan ko na me nagkomento tungkol dyan, si MB pala yun. Iba talaga ang porno…este photographic mind mo, hahaha!
Kapag nababasa ko ulit ang mga komentong ganyan e mas lalo na gusto kong bigyan ng panahon si Noynoy, hehehe!
I think, hindi lang nag-iisa si Merci-dating Ombudsman, sa pag-plansa ng kanilang “gusot-na-gusot na hatian, na pera-pera ” bago sya nag-resign. Halatang-halata naman, kahit na yata, isang “autistic-na-bata “, basta’t di grabe ang kapansanan, ang scripted na drama nila ( G.L.R )Garcia-Ligot-Re…may the soul rest in peace ….binaboy talaga ang department of monetary system sa pinas…binaloktot !..at itutuwid yata ni Pangulong Pinoy, itoy kapag siya’y naka-kuha ng matutuwid na mga pamuno-an sa mga sangay ng gobyerno, at pag-tatangalin ang mga nakinabang sa 9-na-taong kura-kutan admin…ang mga sinambit ko ay batay sa pag-iimbistiga ni Comm.H. Mendoza at col. George Rabusa, at iba pang, maka-bayang mga sundalo…at sa pag-resign ni MG-sa kanyang inu-puang mga kaso…sa tagal ng pagkaka-upo, ” sumingaw ang bulok na mabaho “…sana naman, magbago na ang mga kalakaran sa bansang Pilipinas, for the good of the next generation…dalhin naman sa bikol ang pamunuan, mukhang okay ( DOJ,DILG,DENR,Magdalo-Sen. trillanes,..i.e.)…my penny worth of comment..
I chose not to LINK, because this is short naman. please Read On
THANKS TO ABS CBN ONLINE
MANILA, Philippines (1st UPDATE) – To say that President Aquino is irked about the approval of the Garcia plea bargain deal is an understatement. This is according to his Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. In an interview with reporters today, de Lima revealed the president gave marching orders to his legal team to exhaust all legal remedies possible to nullify the deal made by special prosecutors of the Office of the Ombudsman with former military comptroller Carlos Garcia.
In a meeting Thursday with Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, de Lima, Presidential Legal Counsel Ed de Mesa and Solicitor General Jose Anselmo Cadiz, the president reportedly ordered his legal team, not only to push for a reconsideration of the Sandiganbayan resolution that approved the deal, but also pursue other cases against Garcia not subsumed by the plunder case.
“Kung pwede mahanapan ng other acts of transaction na mafile-lan siya uli, preferably another case of plunder, we have to do it. Yan ang instruction ng presidente.
“Pinapa-review na rin yung buong kaso. While we are seeking for the reconsideration and while we will proceed to the Supreme Court kapag natalo tayo uli sa Sandiganbayan, explore the possibility of filing other cases against Maj. Gen. Garcia. Even if it is to be again plunder covering separate acts or separate transaction, do it. If separate acts yan I don’t think there would be double jeopardy,” de Lima said.
Charging Garcia for plunder under the same offfenses detailed in the P303-million plunder information filed against him before the anti-graft court will constitute double jeopardy because he was already arraigned on those charges.
The president, de Lima said, ordered his legal team to hold those responsible for the deal accountable.
Under the deal, Garcia has plead guilty to the lesser offenses of direct bribery and facilitating money laundering and transferred P135.433 million worth of assets to government.
“Pinakaano rin dito is accountability, not only of the principal accused, not only of Maj. Gen. Garcia kundi accountability ng mga naging involved sa plea bargaining agreement na yan – the officers of the Ombudsman, the special prosecutors. So hindi lang si special prosecutor Wendell Sulit, hindi lang mga deputy Ombudsman, but (also) others.
“He wants to know exactly who can be held accountable. Pinapa-research yan. Pinapaaralan yan. There may be 8 or 9 officials of the (Office of the) Ombudsman who were responsible for the anomaly,” de Lima said.
Aquino also ordered a follow-up on the status of the cases against Garcia’s wife, Clarita, and his sons in the United States. Garcia’s sons Juan Paulo and Ian Carl were arrested for attempting to smuggle US$100,000 to the United States 8 years ago. Clarita Garcia and another son, Timothy Mark, were also arrested because of extradition cases filed against the 4 family members in connection with the plunder case against them in the Philippines.
“Ipu-pursue na rin yun. The whole point here is hindi pwede palusutin, whatever it takes within legal means. Ganoon kaseryoso ngayon si presidente,” de Lima said.
Malacañan also wants to know what action may be taken against the Sandiganbayan for approving the deal, although de Lima said the president is well aware that Sandiganbayan justices are under the supervisory authority of the Supreme Court.
“But we can work on it. We need to still further review the decision kasi naniniwala kami sa side of the Executive na talagang nalusutan dyan yung taumbayan dyan sa deal na yan. It takes two to tanggo. It cannot solely be the responsibility of the Office of the Ombudsman, specifically the special prosecutors,” de Lima
The law punishes one who
“by himself or in connivance with members of his family, relatives by affinity or consanguinity, business associates, subordinates or other persons, amasses, accumulates or acquires ill-gotten wealth“.
The wife and sons connived with Garcia, because the money Garcia accumulated was kept in accounts in their names. Their acquisition of property in the United States is also another indication of acquisition of ill-gotten wealth. That they returned it indicates that they admit that it is not theirs.
Na-demanda ba yang anak at asawa? Hindi naman nag-plead yan to the lesser offense di ba? So hindi pa dismissed ang kaso laban sa kanila. So the extradition can still be requested.
Even if they were subject of the plea bargain of Garcia, one cannot plead for a co-accused. So Garcia’s plea to a lesser offense cannot result in the plea to a lesser offense of his wife and son. If ever, a motion to dismiss by the Ombudsman is needed. The Court cannot dismiss sua sponte (spontaneously, of its own accord. Sa atin, they say motu propio – own motive).
True, if the principal accused pleads to a lesser offense, then it may be difficult for the government to prove the plunder. But proper procedure requires that the co-accused be re-arraigned as well. Garcia cannot be arraigned for and in behalf of his wife and sons.
Then again, the confession of the principal accused, to acquisition of wealth, in fact bolsters the case against the co-accused. The Pidal prosecutors erroneously (on purpose I’m sure) assert that one needs to prove the fact that Garcia was bribed by Armed Forces contractors.
That is a flagrant falsehood, masquerading as ignorance of the law.
The gravamen (substance) of the offense of plunder is the accumulation, acquisition or amassing of ill-gotten wealth. Whether that was done by acceptance of bribes, sleight of hand (the use of personal accounts to park AFP funds), or plain physical snatching of cash from the tills, is irrelevant. For as long as the accused acquired public funds, or appropriated them for his own use, to the tune of 75 Million pesos, plunder shall have been committed.
Can you go after the co-accused even if you have struck a deal with the principal? Yes. There is no law nor jurisprudential doctrine that prohibits it.
Bottom line, charge the wife and son if not yet charged, using Garcia’s admissions and return of wealth to prove the acquisition. Then request for extradition, and let the wife and sons enjoy the same amenities that Michael Ray Aquino, Glenn Dumlao and Cezar Mancao enjoyed.
As always SNV, you continue to amaze me! BRILLIANT LAWYERING (with a tinge of professorial lecture on the side!). So can we go now after the wife and the son? Who should handle this, the Special Tongsecutor Dwindell Barreras-Sulit-na-Sulit-ang-Naglagay?
If she is, ala na yan aabutin na yan ng siyam siyamnapo dahil sigurado nang pumuputok ang lahat ng bulsa niyan ng limpak limpak na salapi sa kalalagay!
Who should fire this leech? C’mon!
i hope some of Pnoy’s men was reading this blog,lalong lalo na ang mga legal advisers nya,they can learn a lot from SNV,c’mon guys move your ass,the people are expecting much from you
Somebody post the Sandiganbayan decision, please. Too many people are defending it (Tribune Online, Manila Standard, PhilStar).
I have seen some substance in the Tribune news article. The logic is weak, and written by one who implieddly declares that the court is manned by ignoramuses. (Not my words, that of Justice Laurel, in an old decision.).
The Tribune article states that the decision said Simeon Marcelo did not allege that Garcia was AFP comptroller. The court further stated that it could not take judicial notice of this fact, although it is widely known.
Justice Laurel had this to say:
THE MUNICIPAL BOARD OF THE CITY OF MANILA, and ALFONSO E. MENDOZA as President of the Partido Radical vs. SEGUNDO AGUSTIN, representative of the Frente Popular
G.R. No. 45844 November 29, 1937
http://www.lawphil.net/judjuris/juri1937/nov1937/gr_l-45844_1937.html
The court is also reported to have said that the fact of being a comptroller is an element of the offense of plunder. That is a blatant falsehood. All that is required is that the offender be a public officer or official. The fact of being a general is required for purposes of determining whether or not the Sandiganbayan or the RTC has jurisdiction (RTC has jurisdiction over a certain class of lower ranking officials.).
sax: the Sandiganbayan archives is within the supreme court webpage. Suspiciously however, the listing for May decisions stopped at May 5.
BTW, in the Senate hearings, it was declared by Sulit and the other prosecutors (I’m not sure if Gutierrez said it, too) that they are writing the Sandiganbayan a request to hold its decision on the plea bargain “in abeyance” or until further study since they were not aware that a Col. Rabusa had that much evidence against Garcia. You can check the Senate transcripts and I will bet you with my sexy neighbor that it’s there!
Can they be held liable by the Senate for making a false promise? Can that nullify the SB decision?