Senator Franklin Drilon a blue ribbon committee member sees no impressive action taken by the Special Prosecutors Office to hold on the endorsement approval of “plea bargaining agreement” entered into by the Ombudsman’s Office and retired Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia.
“The plea bargain until now is still not final” insist the Ombudsman’s Office, still it needs final approval from Sandiganbayan.
Otherwise Drilon believes.
“I hope I am mistaken, but I think, the boxing is ended already. Plunder case against Garcia could no longer exist” said Drilon.
The filling of manifestation is meant to delay more time of the Ombudsman’s Office while trying to clear the issue on how to fix the plea bargain disorder, Drilon (–foul word(s) removed–)erted.
“According to the manifestation, don’t give immediate approval. The way I look at the situation, they just wait until the issue is no longer hot. But I think people still continue focusing that issue,” he added. “They just look for a perfect loophole to avoid the mess that terribly harmed the public.”
By the power of the “plea bargain” it could be possible to dismiss the plunder charges, believe Drilon.
There are two possible indications to make plea bargain final. First, the fact that Carlos Garcia was permitted to plead to a minimum offense on money laundering and indirect bribery. Second, Garcia was permitted to post a bail.
“In the since that Garcia was permitted to post a bail it signifies that plunder case no longer exists. If plunder case still active, Garcia can never posted a bail” said Drilon.
Drilon said, if Carlos Garcia has effectively been cleared of a plunder case, there could be no more new evidence of plunder to be charged against him.
Therefore, with the testimonies of two former budget officers of the Armed Forces George Rabusa and Col. Antonio Lim could not be of any avail against Garcia no matter how credible it would be when plunder is concerned. Possible if there are new evidences can be introduced, may be it can be used against to the involved chiefs of staff, but could never be against Garcia.
To picture out the possible outcome in the corruption scandal in the whole AFP is depressing because of the “plea bargain”.
“Garcia is laughing out loud in his way toward the bank”
