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By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 15:01:00 02/01/2011
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MANILA, Philippines – Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez quashed
speculations that she received money in exchange for approving the plea
bargain agreement with former military comptroller Carlos Garcia.
Appearing before the hearing of the justice committee of the House of
Representatives Tuesday, Gutierrez stood her ground that the evidence
against Garcia was weak, and not even the findings of auditor Heidi
Mendoza could bolster it.
“Walang ayusan dito, walang perahan dito [There is no fixing here, there is no money involved],” she told the panel.
“Kung may kumita rito, tamaan na ng kidlat at mamatay na ngayon din
[If there is anyone who benefitted from this, may they be hit by
lightning]. . . . Ganito kalinis ito at wala kaming tinatago [That’s how
clean this deal has been. We have nothing to hide],” she added.
Gutierrez said the plea bargain was legal and clean and that it was best for the country.
“We want to get the most of what we can get from the accused then now
we are being tried by publicity because of misrepresentation and false
accusations,” she said.
Gutierrez stressed that not even the findings of auditor Mendoza, who
traced the money trail of alleged corruption within the Armed Forces of
the Philippines, could pin down Garcia.
“I was told that the report she made, she made alone, they pointed to
the AFP transactions without linking Garcia,” Gutierrez said.
She added that the letter of Clarita Garcia, the military officer’s
wife, could not also be used as evidence in court because it lacked
corroboration.
“It was a recommendation from the prosecutors that we don’t have
enough evidence, there is weak evidence to convict Garcia that’s why we
bargained. . . . If he will just be acquitted, we might as well get all
the properties we can get from him so we end up the winner,” Gutierrez
said.
Former Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo, who filed the case against Garcia,
insisted that the letter of Clarita should have been used against the
retired general.
Also appearing in the hearing, former Executive Secretary Eduardo
Ermita made a clean breast of the issue linking his former office to
Mendoza’s audit investigation of the AFP funds.
Mendoza earlier
on Tuesday said that Commission on Audit commissioner Emmanuel Lagman
called her up to tell her to “go slow” in looking into the alleged
anomaly in the money of the military. She said Lagman got his orders
from the Office of the Executive Secretary.
“I have no knowledge
about that matter given by Miss Mendoza. … The office of the President
never tried to interfere in the proceedings against General Garcia,”
Ermita said.
original link: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 15:01:00 02/01/2011
Filed Under: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.],[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.],[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.],[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.],[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
MANILA, Philippines – Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez quashed
speculations that she received money in exchange for approving the plea
bargain agreement with former military comptroller Carlos Garcia.
Appearing before the hearing of the justice committee of the House of
Representatives Tuesday, Gutierrez stood her ground that the evidence
against Garcia was weak, and not even the findings of auditor Heidi
Mendoza could bolster it.
“Walang ayusan dito, walang perahan dito [There is no fixing here, there is no money involved],” she told the panel.
“Kung may kumita rito, tamaan na ng kidlat at mamatay na ngayon din
[If there is anyone who benefitted from this, may they be hit by
lightning]. . . . Ganito kalinis ito at wala kaming tinatago [That’s how
clean this deal has been. We have nothing to hide],” she added.
Gutierrez said the plea bargain was legal and clean and that it was best for the country.
“We want to get the most of what we can get from the accused then now
we are being tried by publicity because of misrepresentation and false
accusations,” she said.
Gutierrez stressed that not even the findings of auditor Mendoza, who
traced the money trail of alleged corruption within the Armed Forces of
the Philippines, could pin down Garcia.
“I was told that the report she made, she made alone, they pointed to
the AFP transactions without linking Garcia,” Gutierrez said.
She added that the letter of Clarita Garcia, the military officer’s
wife, could not also be used as evidence in court because it lacked
corroboration.
“It was a recommendation from the prosecutors that we don’t have
enough evidence, there is weak evidence to convict Garcia that’s why we
bargained. . . . If he will just be acquitted, we might as well get all
the properties we can get from him so we end up the winner,” Gutierrez
said.
Former Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo, who filed the case against Garcia,
insisted that the letter of Clarita should have been used against the
retired general.
Also appearing in the hearing, former Executive Secretary Eduardo
Ermita made a clean breast of the issue linking his former office to
Mendoza’s audit investigation of the AFP funds.
Mendoza earlier
on Tuesday said that Commission on Audit commissioner Emmanuel Lagman
called her up to tell her to “go slow” in looking into the alleged
anomaly in the money of the military. She said Lagman got his orders
from the Office of the Executive Secretary.
“I have no knowledge
about that matter given by Miss Mendoza. … The office of the President
never tried to interfere in the proceedings against General Garcia,”
Ermita said.
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