NR1014:No to court-martial for Garcia

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin B. Beltran
News Release October 14 , 2004
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, chief of staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Celphone number 09213907362
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PGMA's order of court martial against AFP's Garcia prelude to whitewash and
cover-up; court-martial is actually protection for Garcia and his yet-unknown
bosses and cohorts - Rep. Beltran

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo's order to have former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
comptroller Carlos Garcia was the ultimate sign that Malacanang and the AFP
were hellbent on white-washing the investigations against Garcia, and thus
cover up all the other military officials and other government civilian
officials who are involved in the corruption scam of ill-gotten wealth.

"Why is Garcia being placed under court martial? The charges against him are not
military in nature and do not immediately concern his duties as a military
official.He is being accused of amassing ill-gotten wealth and perpetrating
acts of corruption - these are crimes that fall under the jurisdiction of the
Office of the Ombudsman, and not the military court," he said

"Pres. Arroyo's stepping in is not to help resolve the case or go to the root of
the spate of corruption-crimes in the AFP but to control the damage and shut
Garcia up . If Garcia is placed under court -martial, all other investigations
against him and other officials involved could be put to a halt. Garcia should
be hauled off to criminal court at the Ombudsman's and not protected via court
martial," he said.#