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PRIVILEGE SPEECH ON GARCIA PLEA BARGAIN AGREEMENT January 19, 2011  Posted: January 24th, 2011 @ 11:01pm MR. PRESIDENT, DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. I RISE TODAY ON A MATTER OF PERSONAL AND COLLECTIVE PRIVILEGE. OUR COUNTRY HAS, IN RECENT WEEKS, EXPERIENCED NATURAL CALAMITIES OF MANY KINDS WHICH ARE, IN A SENSE, UNPRECEDENTED. I USE THIS WORD PRINCIPALLY TO DESCRIBE THESE EVENTS AS HAVING HAPPENED AT A TIME WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SAVORING THE GOODWILL AND MAGNANIMITY WHICH THE YULETIDE SEASON BRINGS. THE CHRISTMAS SEASON, AND THE NEW YEAR, ARE PERIODS OF GREAT GLADNESS AND RENEWAL, A CHANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND EVEN ENTIRE NATIONS TO MAKE A FRESH START. YET ALL AROUND THE WORLD, OTHER COUNTRIES ARE LIKEWISE GRAPPLING WITH THE REALITY OF A GLOBAL CLIMATE GONE BERSERK: SNOW IN THE U.S. STATE OF HAWAII; MASSIVE FLOODING IN BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA, AND IN SRI LANKA; RAGING MUDSLIDES IN BRAZIL. HUNDREDS DEAD, THOUSANDS MISSING AND INJURED, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS RENDERED HOMELESS. IN THE PHILIPPINES, THESE TRAGEDIES ARE COMPOUNDED BY A CALAMITY OF A DIFFERENT SORT. THIS IS THE KIND THAT FOR THE MOST PART IS CONDUCTED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, BY A HANDFUL OF POWERFUL INDIVIDUALS WHO BELIEVE THEMSELVES TO BE ABOVE THE LAW, AND THUS ENTITLED TO ENRICH THEMSELVES – AND THEIR FAMILIES – AT THE EXPENSE OF POOR AND UNEDUCATED FILIPINOS. MR. PRESIDENT, PERHAPS THE VERY SAME FILIPINOS WHO EVEN NOW LIVE HUDDLED AND MISERABLE IN EVACUATION CENTERS, FLEEING THEIR HOMES BECAUSE THE ROADS AND DAMS BUILT IN THEIR COMMUNITIES WERE OF THE SUBSTANDARD KIND AFTER THE COMMISSIONS COLLECTED BY CORRUPT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS LEFT LITTLE TO CONSTRUCT SOLID INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD HAVE PROTECTED THE PEOPLE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN BUILT FOR. MR. PRESIDENT, THESE SAME POOR AND UNEDUCATED FILIPINOS MIGHT FIND IT DIFFICULT TO QUICKLY EXPLAIN WHAT A WORD LIKE COMPTROLLER MEANS, BUT THEY KNOW ALMOST INSTINCTIVELY THAT IT DEALS WITH A GREAT DEAL OF RESPONSIBILITY, AND THAT RESPONBILITY HAS TO DO WITH FINANCES. LIKEWISE, MR. PRESIDENT, THESE SAME POOR AND UNEDUCATED FILIPINOS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO NAME ALL THE OFFICIALS OF THE AFP AT ANY GIVEN TIME, BUT IF YOU ASK THEM THE NAME OF ITS MOST CORRUPT OFFICIAL, AND ONLY ONE NAME COMES TO MIND: FORMER AFP DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR COMPTROLLERSHIP MAJOR GENERAL CARLOS P. GARCIA. THE EXTENT OF GENERAL GARCIA’S UNFLINCHING AND CRIMINAL SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT TO FUNDS THAT WERE NEVER HIS TO BEGIN WITH FIRST CAUGHT THE PUBLIC EYE IN YEAR 2003, AFTER HIS SONS WERE ARRESTED BY U.S. CUSTOMS AT THE SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FOR FAILING TO DECLARE US$100,000.00. SINCE THAT FIRST INCIDENT, MORE SHOCKING REVELATIONS HAVE SINCE BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR COLLECTIVE ATTENTION, SUCH AS HOW HIS PRIVATE PESO ACCOUNTS BALLOONED FROM P5.26-MILLION IN 1999 TO A STAGGERING P92.81 MILLION IN 2004. THE BALANCE IN HIS DOLLAR ACCOUNT LIKEWISE ZOOMED FROM US$19,500 TO $1.9-MILLION, ALSO IN THE SAME PERIOD. ALL THESE, FROM A MAN WHO WAS COLLECTING A MEASLY P37,000 + ALLOWANCES MONTHLY SALARY FROM THE GOVERNMENT AS A MILITARY OFFICIAL ON ACTIVE DUTY. MAY I ALSO RELAY TO THIS AUGUST CHAMBER THE ALLEGED PROPERTIES OF GEN, GARCIA. THE US DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY HAS SO FAR IDENTIFIED THREE GARCIA ASSETS: A 765,000 US DOLLAR TRUMP PARK AVENUE CONDOMINIUM AT 502 PARK AVENUE IN NEW YORK; A 750,000 DOLLAR APARTMENT AT NUMBER 222 EAST 34TH ST, NEW YORK; AND A HOUSE IN 625 VANCOUVER DRIVE, WESTERVILLE, OHIO. AT LEAST US$785,630 OR EQUIVALENT TO P43,995,000 WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE UNITED STATES BY GENERAL GARCIA AND HIS FAMILY IN THE PAST 11 YEARS, ACCORDING TO DOCUMENTS FROM AN INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED BY THE OMBUDSMAN. CITING US IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT RECORDS, THE OMBUDSMAN REPORT SAID THAT MONEY WAS CARRIED BY GARCIA, HIS WIFE CLARITA AND THEIR TWO SONS IAN CARL AND JUAN PAULO DURING SIX TRIPS TO THE US BETWEEN 1993 AND 2004. OTHER ASSETS IN THE PHILIPPINES INCLUDE A LAND IN GUIMARAS, IN BATANGAS, IN ILOILO, IN BAGUIO AND SEVERAL VEHICLES AND SHARES OF STOCK IN THE NAME OF HIS CHILDREN AND WIFE. WHEN THE WIFE OF GEN. GARCIA WAS INTERROGATED BY THE US CUSTOMS COMMISSION, SHE ADMITTED THAT GEN. GARCIA GETS 4,000 LITERS OF GASOLINE PER MONTH CHARGED TO THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES. GROCERIES ARE PROVIDED TO HIM FOR HIS PERSONAL USE LIKEWISE CHARGED TO THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES. AND THE CONTRACTORS WITH CONNECTIONS WITH THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES HAVE BEEN REGULARLY PROVIDING GIFTS INCLUDING CASH TO GEN. GARCIA. MR. PRESIDENT, WHEN CHARGES WERE FIRST BROUGHT AGAINST THE DISGRACED GENERAL AND MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY RESIDING ABROAD, WE ALL SAW CLEARLY FOR THE FIRST TIME THE TRUE FACE OF CORRUPTION IN THE MILITARY. LIKE MILLIONS OF OTHER FILIPINOS, I WANTED TO SEE CLOSURE IN THE GARCIA CASE. CLOSURE, AND A RESOUNDING CONVICTION TO BE HANDED DOWN BY A PHILIPPINE COURT. THUS, MR. PRESIDENT, THIS REPRESENTATION WAS ASTOUNDED BY NEWS OF A PLEA BARGAINING ARRANGEMENT ENTERED INTO WITH GENERAL GARCIA. I ALSO STAND FOURSQUARE BEHIND ALL THOSE WHO REGARD THE PLEA BARGAIN ARRANGEMENT AS OUTRAGEOUS AND UNCONSCIONABLE. WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE PLEA BARGAIN MAKES A MOCKERY OF THE MORE THAN FIVE-YEAR CRUSADE OF PREVIOUS PROSECUTORS, MEMBERS OF MEDIA, AND OTHER CONCERNED INDIVIDUALS TO BRING THIS PERSON TO JUSTICE. ACCUSED OF AMASSING MORE THAN THREE HUNDRED MILLION PESOS IN ILLEGAL WEALTH IN THE COURSE OF HIS CAREER, GENERAL GARCIA WAS THE POSTER BOY FOR ALL THAT WAS WRONG WITH THE MILITARY, AND REPRESENTED THE SNEAKIEST AND DIRTIEST SIDE OF THE ARMED FORCES. HIS ACTIONS WERE AN AFFRONT TO THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE OFFERED BY OUR SOLDIERS, WHO SUFFERED, WERE WOUNDED AND EVEN DIED ON THE BATTLEFIELD WHILE THIS CORRUPT GENERAL SAT COMFORTABLY IN HIS AIRCONDITIONED OFFICE, SERVING NO ONE BUT HIMSELF. I CAN ONLY COMMISERATE WITH OTHERS IN AND OUT OF GOVERNMENT WHO STRONGLY URGE THAT THIS PLEA BARGAIN AGREEMENT BE SCUTTLED PERMANENTLY. TAMA ANG PAGKAKAHAMBING SA PANGYAYARING ITO SA ISANG LARO NG BASKETBALL, GINOONG PANGULO: TAMBAK NA ANG KALABAN, SIGURADO NA ANG PANALO, PERO ANONG NANGYARI AT BIGLANG NABALIGTAD AT MUKHANG MATATALO PA YATA ANG DAPAT AY PANALO? THIS ECHOES PRECISELY THE STATEMENT MADE LAST MONDAY BY THE GOVERNMENT’S TOP LAWYER, SOLICITOR GENERAL JOEL CADIZ, IN THE COURSE OF HIS RADIO INTERVIEW OVER DZMM. ATTY. CADIZ HAD NO COMPUNCTION ABOUT USING THE WORD “UNFATHOMABLE” TO DESCRIBE THE DEVELOPMENTS IN GEN. GARCIA’S CASE. AND THE STINK CREATED BY THIS PLEA BARGAIN AGREEMENT GOES WAY BEYOND GENERAL GARCIA. THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE AT WORK IN THIS SORDID MESS. THERE ARE OTHER HANDS, UNSEEN AS YET, WHICH MUST BE PLACED IN HANDCUFFS, AND THEY DO NOT ALL BELONG TO GARCIA’S NAMESAKE. FOR LOGICALLY, AND WITH ALL THE INFORMATION WE HAVE, THIS WAS A CRIME THAT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN PERPETRATED BY JUST ONE MAN. GARCIA MAY HAVE BEEN A TOP OFFICIAL OF THE AFP, BUT LIKE ANY OTHER MEMBER OF A LARGE ORGANIZATION, HE HAD TO REPORT TO OTHERS. HIS ACTIONS COULD NOT HAVE ESCAPED THE ATTENTION OF OTHERS AROUND HIM. HIS SUCCESS AT CONCEALING HIS ILLEGAL ACTIONS NEEDED SUPPORT FROM INSIDE. AND CONSIDERING THE AMOUNT INVOLVED IN THE CRIME, ONLY SOMEONE HIGHER COULD HAVE ACTED AS HIS ENABLER, HIS KEEPER, AND HIS PROTECTOR. MR. PRESIDENT, DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUES, THE NAME ANGELO REYES – GREAT ENABLER TO THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION – ONCE AGAIN COMES TO THE FORE. UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP – IF SUCH A WORD CAN BE USED TO DESCRIBE HIS TENURE – THE AFP WAS POLITICIZED LIKE NEVER BEFORE AND GARCIA’S CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES FLOURISHED. MR. REYES’S UTTER FAILURE AS A PUBLIC SERVANT IS APPARENT EVEN IN HIS LATER POSTINGS: AS SECRETARY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES, NO REAL HEADWAY WAS MADE AGAINST ILLEGAL LOGGING OR OTHER PRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS. AS SECRETARY OF ENERGY – HIS STINT WAS A TOTAL FAILURE – THE BIG THREE OIL COMPANIES HAD A FIELD DAY IN JACKING UP THEIR PUMP PRICES WITH HARDLY ANY PROTEST FROM REYES. WHICH NOW BEGS A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS: WAS THIS SAME RECURRING INACTION OF HIS SUPERIOR THE REASON GARCIA BOLDLY WENT ABOUT HIS MONEY-MAKING CAREER? WOULD IT BE PLAUSIBLE TO THINK THAT GARCIA ALONE MADE MONEY FROM THIS SCHEME, AND THAT NO ONE ELSE – NOT EVEN THOSE ABOVE HIM – WERE INTERESTED IN MAKING A FAST BUCK AS WELL? COULD GARCIA HAVE SUCCEEDED IN AMASSING HIS ILLEGAL FORTUNE WITHOUT HELP FROM THOSE BELOW – AND ABOVE – HIM IN THE MILITARY HIERARCHY? AND WITH TWO FORMER COMPTROLLERS OF THE ARMED FORCES – CARLOS GARCIA AND HIS IMMEDIATE PREDECESSOR, JACINTO LIGOT – APPARENTLY LAUNCHING AND STRENGTHENING THEIR CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES WHILE ANGELO REYES SERVES AS AFP AND LATER AS DND CHIEF, DOES THIS NOT IN ITSELF UNDERSCORE THE FAILURE OF REYES TO REIN HIS OWN PEOPLE IN? OR WAS HE COMPLICIT IN ALL THIS, AS MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE, INCLUDING MYSELF? MR. PRESIDENT, DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUES, THESE ARE NOT QUESTIONS THAT CAN BE TAKEN LIGHTLY. THE CASE OF GENERAL GARCIA SYMBOLIZES THE GIANT STEPS THE PHILIPPINES CAN MAKE IN DEALING A SERIOUS BLOW AGAINST CORRUPTION IN THE RANKS OF THE MILITARY, AND WITHIN GOVERNMENT ITSELF. BUT THE BLOW MUST NOT BE AIMED SOLELY AT THE MAN WHO WAS CAUGHT RED-HANDED IN HIS ACT. THERE MUST ALSO BE ACTION AIMED AT BRINGING BEFORE THE BAR OF JUSTICE THOSE WHO HELPED OR WHO CODDLED GENERAL GARCIA IN HIS ACT OF PLUNDER. THE SENATE, THE ENTIRE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT APPARATUS, MUST NOT REST UNTIL GARCIA’S ENABLERS ARE LIKEWISE HAULED BEFORE THE COURTS AND METED THE HARSHEST PUNISHMENT AVAILABLE UNDER OUR LAWS. DAPAT PARUSAHAN ANG MAY SALA UPANG MAIPAMALAS NATIN ANG TAMANG LANDAS. ANG TUWID NA LANDAS NA PINAPANGARAP NATING LAHAT. MARAMING SALAMAT PO, GINOONG PANGULO. |
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Copyright © 2008 Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
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