Nagulat ang marami sa pinakita ni Heidi Mendoza na P200 milyon na tsekeng pinirmahan ni dating Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia at sa kanyang kuwento kung paano pinaikot-ikot ng dating military comptroller ang pera hanggang naglaho na.
Si Mendoza ang government auditor na ang-imbestiga ng kaso ni Garcia na kinasuhan noong 2004 ng plunder o pandarambong sa halagang P303 milyon na pera para sa military.
Sa totoo lang noon pa yun nilabas ni Heidi nang siya ay tumestigo sa hearing ng kaso ni Garcia. Siya lang ang dumiin kay Garcia. Sabi niya 16 na beses siya tinawag ng korte. Nandyan na yung nililito siya sa mga pirma ni Garcia. Ngunit nanindigan siya.
Hindi mapigilan ni Heidi na maglabas ng kanyang sama ng loob. Noong tumestigo siya sa hearing sabi niya, “ During those times, not one of the media was there, not one of the so-called concerned citizens can be found, not one anti-corruption civil society was there to monitor the case. It was the defendant, the prosecution, the lawyers of the government, my husband and me. So, no media, no civil society.” (Ni isang media walang nag-cover. Ni isang concerned citizen wala akong nakita. Wala ni isang anti-corruption civil society na grupo na nag-monito. Ang nandun lang ang defendant, ang prosecution, mga abogado ng pamahalaan, ang aking asawa at ako.)
Sabi pa niya, nang bandang huli, may mga miyembro ng simbahan na sumuporta sa akin. Kaya lang yun naman ang panahon na pinakita sa kanya ng mga abogado ni Garcia ang sulat galing sa chairman ng Commission on Audit na si Guillermo Carague na nagsasabing wala raw autoridad ang team niya para mag-imbistiga.”Yun ang nakakasakit,” sabi ni Mendoza.
Dahil mukhang nakalimutan na ng taumbayan ang kaso, naglakas ng loob ang mga prosecutors na nasa opisina ni Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez na pumasok sa plea bargain agreement na nagbalik lamang si Garcia ng P135 milyon na klaro namang lugi ang taumbayan.
Sabi nga marami, magnanakaw na rin sila ng milyunes, tapos, ibalik ang kalahati, libre ka na. Sigurado ang kita.
Nag-uusap kami ng kapwa naming reporter at parang guilty rin nga kami sa sinabi ni Mendoza.
Napabayaan itong kaso ni Garcia. Sabi ko nga paano kasi napakadaming isyu. Noong mga panahon na nagte-testigo si Mendoza sa Sandigabbayan sa Quezon City, pumuputok ang NBN/ZTE. Marami pang ibang eskandalo noong panahon ni Arroyo: fertilizer scam, and World Bank road projects, ang Maguindanao masaker at marami pa.
Nang niluluto nila ang plea bargain agreement noong Marso 2010, bising -bisi nman tayo sa preparasyun ng eleksyun. Kaya sinamantala nila.
Ngayun na nagulantang tayo, sana maharang pa. Sana hindi na mag-iisa si Heidi Mendoza.
That’s why, for all of media’s excesses, I would still defend press freedom rather than have a controlled media. Look at what happens when the cameras are taken off the issue?
From the report of Wendell Vigilia in Malaya:
Mercy snubs probe on Garcia
Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez in a one-page letter to the House committee on justice chaired by Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas, said she and her subordinates could not be compelled to attend the hearing because the subject of the inquiry is still pending before the Sandiganbayan’s Second Division and that she does not believe that the investigation will be in aid of legislation.
“Since the apparent purpose of the inquiry, as reflected in the media and in the minutes attached to the invitations, is to determine the validity of the plea bargaining agreement and the possible liability of those involved in or behind said agreement, should it be illegal, the inquiry may not be in aid of legislation and not within the legitimate province of the legislature,” she said.
Gutierrez said Congress has no power to compel their attendance because the Office of the Ombudsman is a “constitutional and independent office.”
Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño slammed Gutierrez for snubbing the inquiry and moved that she and her subordinates be subpoenaed for the hearing next Tuesday.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said the subpoena will have to bear his signature but could not say if he will approve it.
Former Specail Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio, a Gutierrez critic, who was relieved of prosecutorial and administrative powers about two years ago before his retirement, said he was asked by the Ombudsman to “disengage” from the Garcia case when he was still involved in the case.
Garcia is also complaining that media did not cover the trial (gaya-gaya kay Heidi), tapos comment ng comment daw on the outcome.
O ayan mga taga-media, paki-explain.
Hindi naman siguro nag-iisa si Mam Heidi.
Ang tanong lang eh, mayroon pa bang tinatawag na “PATRIOTISM” yung mga taong nakakaalam ng kabulastugan ni Garcia?
Yung mga nababayaran siguradong hindi nila alam kung ano ibig sabihin niyan.
I feel for Heidi. Ganyan naman talaga sa Pinas, ningas cogon palagi. If Garcia gets off, it sends the message that it is OK to steal. Konting pagkulong lang at ibalik ang kapirangot na pera, ok na. Kaya nga si midget at si baboy pidal eh ginamit na yata ang lahat ng mga taong nasa poder noong panahon nila kasi nandiyan pa naman si Chedeng nila at ang Supreme Court na hawak pa nila pati na yata ang judiciary. Namamayagpag ang mga taong nakinabang sa ninakaw ni Garcia. I still think that Garcia was used by a bunch of vultures. Kaya all the vultures will try to shield Garcia kasi kung hindi, sasabit din sila. Tignan nga natin kung yung mga militar na nagsasabing mag-tetestify sila eh talagang lalabas? I doubt this so much. Lahat ng mga generals ni bansot eh nakinabang ng husto sa kaban ng bayan noong panahon niya. That was how she got their protection from being ousted.
Kailangan na naman daw ng 42 billion para sa AFP in the next 5 yrs. WOW, nakanganga na naman ang mga buwaya sa AFP. Any Garcias around? Kung ako si Pnoy, sisiguraduhin ko na ang mga dapat na gastusan ang mauuna. He has to watch the money like a hawk!
I am now watching the senate hearing. Ang daming “bomba”. Corruption is so easy to do in the AFP, maraming loopholes. Kaya naman pala kawawa ang mga sundalo natin.
Trillianes told Reyes, “you do not have a reputation to protect”…I hope I did not hear this wrong! But if I heard it right, and gulong ng palad nga naman…Ngayon si Trillanes na ang “your honor”.
I’m back!
psb, you heard right. Supalpal si Reyes kay Trillanes THREE TIMES! Yung una, pinipilit ni Reyes magtanong kay Col. Rabusa na ayaw payagan ni TG Guingona. Nakulitan yata si AT4 kaya habang makulit si Reyes na “…if I may, your honor, if I may…” hirit si AT4 ng “NO, you may NOT!” Tapos sabi pa ni AT4, “I suggest you get yourself a good lawyer.” Mukhang tutuluyan siya ni Trillanes.
Yung pangalawa nga yung sinasabi mo, psb. Sabi kasi ni Reyes paulit-ulit, “It’s my name that’s being besmirched here, it’s my reputation that I have to protect…” Sabay hirit uli ang AT4 ng, “You do not have a reputation to protect!” Mapula na ang tenga ni Reyes kaya pinagbigayan na rin ni Guingona later on.
Pero di pa rin huminahon si AT4 kaya tumira pa rin pagkatapos maglitanya ni Reyes ng mga accomplisghments niya sa anti-smuggling, jueteng, yung SOCOM chief pa siya, etc. Tapal Vulcaseal ang binitiwan ni AT4, “We do not care about your accomplishments here, those are irrelevant. What we want to know is if you accepted money.” Sinegundahan naman ni Jinggoy who has the floor nung oras na yon. “We were in jail for more than seven years, now you have this (Rabusa’s testimony).” Ang pagkakaintindi ko sa sinabi ni AT4 e nakulong sila dahil sa paglahad ng korapsyon sa AFP, eto ngayon ang ebidensiya, si Rabusa nga.
Ombudsgirl na naman ang may jurisdiction diyan.
All the officials below the Ombudsgirl can be replaced by the President. Bakit papatay-patay? There is Emilio Gonzalez. Ano na ang nangyari diyan? There is the Specious Prosecutor. Lahat yan puwedeng tanggalin.
Once out, and replaced by good people (I hope), boxed out na ang Ombudsgirl. True, it is still the head that decides whether to prosecute or not. But if all the spadework is done below, when the charges are watered down, then there would be evidence of favorable treatment.
Ang tagal naman. For a guy who loves guns, mabagal pa sa sumpit ang action niton admin na ito.
Hey tongue, where have you been? Good to see you back?
Like that report of yours.
Anyway, just to say that what you said about Trillanes’ comportment in Congress has impressed me.
Am beginning to waylay my reservations about this young senator. Ang am frigging pleased that he’s going for the jugular.
Way to go Lieutenant! Make the foul-mouthed braggart Angie Reyes crawl!
I’ve opened the thread on today’s Senate hearing, particularly on the Rabusa testimony. Let’s have the discussion there.
Thanks.