The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) turned over to the Bureau of Treasury (BTr) on Tuesday, Sept. 13, a check for P53.6 million and 11 land titles which form part of the forfeited assets of retired Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Maj. Gen. Carlos F. Garcia.
OMB’s Special Prosecutor Edilberto G. Sandoval handed over the cheque and the land titles to Officer-in-Charge Deputy Treasurer of the Philippines Eduardo Anthony G. Mariño III during a press conference held at the OMB in Quezon City.
The landholdings in 11 titles are located in Baguio City, Batangas, Guimaras Island, and Iloilo.
Sandoval said that there are still other properties that have already been transferred to the children of Garcia, and they are "gathering evidence" so they can take care of them legally.
On July 5, 2022, Garcia – then AFP comptroller -- evaded his plunder and anti-money laundering charges as he pleaded guilty to the lesser offenses of direct bribery and facilitating money laundering.
With his plea to lesser offenses, Garcia was sentenced to four to eight years imprisonment and ordered to pay a fine P406,300,162 "or three times the total value of the gifts received as per plea bargaining agreement, with subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency" for the offense of direct bribery as defined and penalized under Article 210 of the Revised Penal Code.
On the other hand, he was slapped with five to six years imprisonment and directed to pay a fine of P1.5 million for violating Section 4, paragraph B of Republic Act No. 9160 on facilitating money laundering.
"Let these cases be archived with respect to accused Clarita D. Garcia, Ian Carl D. Garcia, Juan Paulo D. Garcia, Timothy Mark D. Garcia, John, James and Jane Does, to be revived upon their arrest or voluntary surrender. Let alias warrants of arrest be issued against them," the Sandiganbayan said as it denied Garcia’s motion to recall the arrest orders against his co-accused family members and reduce the fines and penalties imposed with his plea bargaining agreement.
Garcia was initially charged with a violation of Republic Act No. 7080, otherwise known as Plunder and Section 4(a) of RA No. 9160 or the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
The charges arose from acquiring ill-gotten wealth in the form of funds, landholdings, and other real and personal properties as well as receiving "shopping money or gratitude money" from John Does, James Does, and Jane Does amounting to P303,272,005.99 in exchange for government contracts or projects from 1993 until his retirement in November 2004.
From that amount, P73 million and $967,215.99 were withdrawn sometime between July 2002 to 2004, the prosecution said. It also said the money was withdrawn "knowing that the same represent, involve and/or relate to the proceeds of violation of RA 7080... which is considered unlawful activity."
On March 16, 2010, a plea bargaining agreement was struck between the Office of the Ombudsman and Garcia who is currently detained at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.