يحاول ذهب - حر
Sins of the father
November 03, 2025
|The Philippine Star
Civil forfeiture is supposed to be easier than securing a criminal conviction. Confiscating ill-gotten assets in the still widening infrastructure corruption mess is seen as one of the low-hanging fruits in assuaging public outrage.
The Independent Commission for Infrastructure is working with several agencies to hasten such forfeiture proceedings. Assets of several of those implicated in the scandal have been frozen.
Those behind the efforts must ensure that any adult children used in the thievery must also suffer the consequences.
The forfeiture must be genuine and thorough instead of what we have seen in the past years, which was often token and allowed thieves to keep a considerable amount of ill-gotten wealth.
A case in point is that of retired military comptroller Carlos Flores Garcia. The former Army major general was accused of pocketing P303 million from 1993 to 2005. But under a plea bargain agreement he struck with the Office of the State Prosecutor, the original plunder complaint against him was downgraded to direct bribery and facilitating money laundering.
In exchange, he surrendered P135,433,387.84 in various assets to the state, and was freed on P60,000 bail on Dec. 16, 2010, just in time for the Christmas holidays.
Also as part of the plea bargain, Garcia’s accused co-conspirators — his wife Clarita and adult sons Ian Carl, Juan Paulo and Timothy Mark - were dropped from the case.
Garcia's woes started when Clarita, in an attempt to save her sons from a criminal indictment for failing to declare $100,000 upon entry to the US, had blabbed to US customs authorities that there was more where the cash came from, since her husband was the comptroller of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Former state auditor Heidi Mendoza presented bank documents to back up the detailed findings of a six-member team of the Commission on Audit (COA) that plunder was committed by Garcia. Yet the plea bargain was endorsed by then special prosecutor Wendell Sulit ostensibly because the evidence was insufficient to prove plunder.
هذه القصة من طبعة November 03, 2025 من The Philippine Star.
اشترك في Magzter GOLD للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة، وأكثر من 9000 مجلة وصحيفة.
هل أنت مشترك بالفعل؟ تسجيل الدخول
المزيد من القصص من The Philippine Star
The Philippine Star
BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT GATHER FOR ‘CHAIRMAN'S NIGHT' AS CONCEPCIÓN ASSUMES CHAIRSHIP OF ASEAN PRIVATE SECTOR GROUP
It was a night of celebration, bringing together heavy-hitters from business, government, and the diplomatic corps who came to show their support for ASEAN and the opportunities it presents for all sectors of society.
1 min
January 22, 2026
The Philippine Star
Trump heads to Davos amid maelstrom over Greenland
US President Donald Trump descends on Davos for a showdown with European leaders on Wednesday as his bid to seize Greenland threatens to tear the transatlantic alliance apart.
2 mins
January 22, 2026
The Philippine Star
BBM, BSP discuss monetary policy, growth outlook
The monetary policy easing cycle may be nearing its end, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said, as it briefed President Marcos on the country's economic outlook.
2 mins
January 22, 2026
The Philippine Star
Chile wildfire victims plead for help; death toll hits 20
Residents of southern Chile, ravaged by four days of deadly wildfires, pleaded for help on Tuesday from communities reduced to rubble, as smoke lingered and firefighters braced for the return of hot weather.
1 min
January 22, 2026
The Philippine Star
Japan ex-PM Abe's killer sentenced to life in prison
The gunman charged with killing Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe was found guilty yesterday and jailed for life, more than three years after the broad-daylight assassination shocked the world.
1 min
January 22, 2026
The Philippine Star
Marcos vows continued support for BARMM
President Marcos yesterday vowed to continue supporting development efforts in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao as he called for increased economic activities in the BARMM to improve the quality of life of the people.
1 min
January 22, 2026
The Philippine Star
C. Mucho, Akari clash in opener
GAMES JAN. 31 (FILOIL ECOOIL ARENA) 4 P.M. - GALERIES TOWER VS CIGNAL 6:30 P.M. - AKARI VS CHOCO MUCHO
1 min
January 22, 2026
The Philippine Star
Ping: Minority report on flood control 'disrespects' Blue Ribbon
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson described as invalid and disrespectful the so-called minority report on the flood control controversy, stressing that only the Blue Ribbon committee can issue an official committee report under Senate rules.
2 mins
January 22, 2026
The Philippine Star
A TABLE MEANT FOR SHARING CRYSTAL JADE HONG KONG KITCHEN OPENS IN MAΚΑΤΙ
On most nights in Makati, Ayala Triangle Gardens takes on a familiar rhythm: office workers lingering over late dinners, families stretching meals into mini-reunions, and tables piled not with individual plates but with dishes meant to be passed around, tasted, and talked over.
2 mins
January 22, 2026
The Philippine Star
Garin: Leviste guilty of conflict of interest
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said Batangas 1st district Rep. Leandro Leviste is guilty of conflict of interest for his failure to divest from the solar power firm that he formed prior to his election in Congress.
1 mins
January 22, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size

