Former-AFP-Comptroller-Carlos-Garcia
MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has affirmed the imposition of fines on former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) comptroller retired Main Common Carlos Garcia amounting to P406.3 million for plunder and P1.5 million for direct bribery.
In a decision dated September 19, the antigraft courtroom’s Second Division denied Garcia’s movement for partial reconsideration of the imposition of fines for “lack of benefit.”
READ: Sandigan: Former AFP comptroller Carlos Garcia responsible of direct bribery
In 2022, the Sandiganbayan discovered Garcia responsible of direct bribery and facilitating cash laundering.
In 2005 and 2009, the previous AFP official was charged with plunder and cash laundering for conniving and conspiring.
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Garcia argued that “it was an error for the courtroom to additional impose the penalty of 3 times the P135,433,387.84 quantity he surrendered to the Philippine authorities below a plea bargaining settlement. He additionally claimed that the imposition of the fines “violates the essence” of the plea discount deal.
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Furthermore, Garcia “cites the presence of two mitigating circumstances supposedly current in his favor, particularly his voluntary give up and his plea of guilt.”
Nonetheless, the anti-graft courtroom identified within the decision that Garcia “doesn’t substantiate his declare of voluntary give up.”
“The arguments introduced by accused Garcia in his movement, notably on the character of the surrendered properties value P135,433,387.84, are a mere rehash of the arguments he beforehand posited in his Movement for Reconsideration dated July 18, 2020 and his Opposition to Plaintiff’s Movement for Execution dated February 7, 2024, which have all been fastidiously thought-about and handed upon by this courtroom within the Decision dated September 7, 2022 and the Decision dated July 30, 2024, respectively,” the decision reads.
Furthermore, the courtroom mentioned the plea discount deal “comprises an admission, in plain language, that the properties had been alleged to be proceeds of crimes within the data in these circumstances. This admission, signed by accused Garcia himself, trumps his declare that the properties had been surrendered by the use of penalty.”
Based mostly on studies, Garcia and co-accused members of his household allegedly amassed P303.2 million value of ill-gotten wealth within the type of funds, landholdings, and different actual and private properties.”
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