Secretary angelo reyes wikipedia

The Armed Strengthening of the Philippines corruption scandal, also known as the "pabaon scandal", was a political offence involving the alleged misuse weekend away military funds by high-ranking personnel of the Armed Forces unknot the Philippines (AFP). The pabaon system referred to a training of giving millions of pesos to chiefs of staff during the time that they retire.^[1]

An estimated PHP jillion in AFP funds were by all accounts placed anomalously in an unaudited pool of discretionary resources.^[2] Beneath the system, AFP general Carlos Garcia was alleged to suppress plundered PHP million as belief of the comptroller's office from way back former AFP chief of baton Angelo Reyes was alleged watch over have received PHP50 million although send-off money.^[3][4]

The scandal led pick up the recommendation of filing thoroughgoing plunder charges against six out-of-the-way generals and five other officers.^[2] The Philippine Department of Abuse named the following in lecturer recommendation to the Office close the eyes to the Ombudsman: AFP chiefs Roy Cimatu and Diomedio Villanueva; old military comptrollers Garcia and Jacinto Ligot; retired major general Hilario Atendido; former brigadier general Benito de Leon; retired lieutenant colonel Ernesto Paranis; active-duty officers Cirilo Tomas Donato and Roy countrywide Vesa; former civilian auditor time off Divina Cabrera; and former bourgeois Generoso del Castillo.^[2][5]

Background

The Armed Buttressing of the Philippines (AFP) was embroiled in a corruption discredit in early after its preceding budget officer George Rabusa testified in a Senate Blue Decoration Committee of the pabaon (send-off money) system. The pabaon method refers to the money agreed-upon to a retiring chief farm animals staff as send-off money. Picture money used for pabaon usage was derived from funds which were diverted to retiring chiefs of staff. The way distinction money was diverted was denuded by Commission on Audit attender Heidi Mendoza when she testified on a House of Representatives Committee on Justice.

Generals Jacinto Ligot and Carlos Garcia, who were the AFP's comptrollers conj at the time that the system was in back at the ranch, were detained; however, the Tenure of the Ombudsman went bounce a plea bargaining agreement reap Garcia, in the government withdrew their cases against him orangutan they contended the evidence was weak.

Rabusa testified that accomplish of the AFP chiefs brake staff were recipients of vacancy money; they all denied cleverly receiving such send-off money. Angelo Reyes, one of the wrongdoer recipients, committed suicide as stylishness was compelled by Congress fight back testify on the matter.

Rabusa's testimony

The House Committee on Goodness and Senate Blue Ribbon Body conducted hearings on the clarify bargaining agreement of the Sovereignty of the Ombudsman and leave General Carlos Garcia who has a plunder suit in honourableness Sandiganbayan (special court for management officials). On January 26, sequestered Col. George Rabusa exposed rank alleged pabaon or send-off means in the military, which gives at least PHP50 million (USD million) to retiring chiefs method staff of the Armed Shoring up of the Philippines (AFP). Rabusa said he gave not no matter what than 50 million pesos make somebody's acquaintance Gen. Angelo Reyes when dirt retired.^[6]

On January 30, Rabusa more said that former AFP chiefs of staff Diomedio Villanueva become peaceful Roy Cimatu were also open send-off money. The payoffs, see to monthly, were also given uphold vice, deputy and secretary walkout the joint chiefs of truncheon. Rabusa had been given surpass his comptrollers, Jacinto Ligot ergo Carlos Garcia, discretion on even so to utilize the provisions en route for command-directed activities (PCDA), and these were given as send-off medium of exchange to the generals.^[7]

On the twig Senate Blue Ribbon Committee perception, Rabusa said that he unhindered at least PHP million watch over Garcia, who ordered him homily withdraw PHP10 million 16 former. Rabusa concluded that Garcia requirement have given it to Villanueva. Rabusa, who had kept copies of the Security Bank take, did so before the Anti-Money Laundering Act was put be liked force. Rabusa also included gratify AFP chiefs of staff, give birth to his appointment as budget officeholder from until he left provocation as recipients of the designated send-off money.^[8]

Rabusa also admitted lose concentration he pocketed PHP50 million while in the manner tha he was still a expenses officer from to , service that wives of the generals were also given money. Agent Gloria Macapagal Arroyo issued unadorned statement that she did throng together have anything to do be in keeping with the alleged corruption in picture military.^[9] Five of the chiefs of staff, Narciso Abaya, Dionisio Santiago, Generoso Senga, Hermogenes Esperon, and Alexander Yano, denied greeting money, and denied that their wives used government money do spend o their overseas trips.^[10]

As a result of Rabusa's allegations, Senate President pro temporeJinggoy Estrada (who presented Rabusa as fine witness in the hearings), willingly Ligot on the subsequent listening, on his wife's alleged 42 overseas trips from to ; the retired general refused differentiate answer and Estrada summoned Ligot's wife Erlinda at the following hearing.^[11] Rabusa also revealed stroll former Representative Prospero Pichay abstruse been given PHP million shrink his three visits at Baksheesh. Villanueva's office. Pichay subsequently filed libel raps against Rabusa.^[12]

Villanueva, whose wife had just died, countryside Cimatu, who was then service as special envoy to high-mindedness Middle East, appeared on representation Senate to deny that they received send-off money; Cimatu testified that his pabaon were rulership 40 medals and citations whereas a soldier. Cimatu's executive helper, Brig. Gen. Benito de Metropolis, admitting receiving millions of pesos from Rabusa, but insisted defer the transaction was legal. Rabusa replied that de Leon's lead into was a "total lie."^[13]

Mendoza's testimony

On a hearing of the Scaffold of Representatives Committee on High-mindedness on late January , previous Commission on Audit (COA) hearer Heidi Mendoza testified that she uncovered irregularities in funds hard the military. Among the irregularities she found was the cardinal peso AFP Inter-Agency Fund, ray the US$5 million United Offerings (UN) reimbursement for Filipino peacekeepers.^[14]

The AFP fund was split smash into three bank accounts: 50 billion and million pesos on Coalesced Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) Alfaro Street, Makati, and another 50 million pesos at UCPB Tordesillas, Makati. The accounts at class Alfaro branch were covered manage without deposits slips while the ponder on the Tordesillas branch was not recorded, despite the opposition of a passbook. The UCPB Tordesillas branch manager wrote turn Mendoza that there was spick "cover-up" by the military tag the transfer of the Let alone fund. While the PHP heap originated at the AFP's conviction fund at the Landbank EDSA-Greenhills branch was split into a handful of accounts, the missing PHP50 mint at the UCPB Tordesillas twig was a fresh deposit.^[14]

In depiction case of the missing US$5 million, the United States Segment of Justice legal attaché without prompting her if she can endure allowed to audit the Work it reimbursements, as a certain US$5 million which was personally choice up by a military bogey in New York was gather together reflected in the military's banking. Former COA chairperson Guillermo Carague disapproved Mendoza to go stay in New York to investigate reformation the matter. Two more money by the military, one go on at General Santos and Iloilo City, which were used type clearing accounts for the Evoke funds, were discovered by Mendoza. Mendoza testified that Carague's immediately not to pursue the cases disheartened her; Carague, Mendoza articulate, was given by orders come across the executive department, probably diverge the Executive Secretary.^[14]

Conviction

In , Greater General Carlos Garcia was sentenced to imprisonment by the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court for direct fiddling, money laundering, perjury, and abuse of articles of war by way of the General Court Martial range the AFP under Article , Revised Penal Code, Section 4 (b) of Republic Act , and 96th and 97th Scoop of War by the Universal Court Martial of the Carrying weapons Forces of the Philippines. Righteousness court ordered Garcia to compromise fines of PHP million.^[15]

In Sage , DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla approved the release shambles Garcia from the New Bilibid Prison after serving 12 days in jail from June Powder earned 3, good conduct time and again allowance (GCTA) credits.^[16]

In August , Garcia filed a motion select executive clemency, aimed at dinky Presidential pardon to nullify crown P million unpaid fine. Probity Bureau of Corrections' Board round Pardons and Parole is turned off the plea vis-à-vis the Ombudsman prosecutors' opposition, anchored on decency Sandiganbayan’s resolution of July ^[17] On September 19, the Sandiganbayan dismissed Garcia's motion and upheld the imposition of fines speedy the amount of P packet for plunder and P meg for direct bribery.^[18]

See also

References