More on General Carlos Garcia

Must read article from Ernie Maceda:

The suspension of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) comptroller Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia (PMA Class of 1971) validates the complaint of Oakwood mutineers of widespread corruption in the top ranks of the AFP.

Beside the usual kickbacks on AFP purchases, all AFP commanders are practicing “conversion” which means receiving cash for the operating expenses and intelligence purposes by just submitting advance requisition vouchers, fake delivery receipts and simple certification of having used the funds for official purposes. This is a direct robbing of the treasury.

We have raised this question in many Senate hearings but AFP chiefs justified it by claiming it was necessary to expedite support for units in the field, especially in remote areas and mountain tops. Besides, they claim it is allowed by relaxed Commission on Audit rules.

General Garcia brought $800,000 to the USA over a three-year period. He has three sons studying in US universities. He owns two condos in New York and one house in the US valued at $1.4 million.

A simple inspection of houses of active and retired generals will show multimillion-peso houses with luxurious furnishings and cars.

More than half of AFP and Philippine National Police senior officers send their kids to US schools, definitely something they cannot afford on the basis of their salaries alone.

But the sad fact is that the Arroyo administration is handcuffed by the fact that it was put in power by a coup of generals and it is maintained in power by the generals' support, despite lack of genuine public support.

And a former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. chief told us that ranking generals do get allowances too from Pagcor.

Will former chief of staff Rodolfo Biazon and former Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile continue to keep quiet on the highly anomalous conversion, the practice of conversion which was also practiced during their time?

Cost-cutting by PGMA? You can save billions just by prohibiting the practice of “conversion,” but will she do it? Definitely not, considering she wilted in the Angelo de la Cruz case for fear of being unseated.

General Garcia need not retire fully in disgrace. He can turn “state” witness by now revealing who are his bosses who shared in the proceeds of his decisions.

As for GMA, totally powerless talaga siya dito because the military people were the ones who installed GMA to power back in 2001 via a coup.

And yeah, Mag "state" witness ka na lang Gen. Garcia, para maglabasan na ang lahat ng baho ng AFP.

And Lito Banayo has a relevant question:

Whose "bata" was Garcia, is the question that everybody outside of Camp Aguinaldo is now whispering about. And if Garcia took "cuts" from AFP procurements and payments, could all these have happened without delivering to some other, or others, their own "pound of rotten flesh"? Just asking.

Can't wait for the answer to that one.