George Rabusa – ellen tordesillas

Palpak UAVs, and more exploded in Senate hearing

Published by Ellen on February 3, 2011

Miriam Santiago and George Rabusa — Where have you been all these years? Miriam asks Rabusa during last Thursday's Senate hearing. Photo from Malaya.

The AFP, under Chief of Staff Roy Cimatu, bought unmanned aerial vehicles to be used against the Abu Sayyaf for $2 million based only on a board room presentation without bidding and canvassing. “Nagbagsakan yun. Hindi po nagamit. I don’t know how long. Palpak, nagbagsakan,Rabusa said.

Sabi nga namin,na 1-2-3 tayo. We had no more contact with the Israeli company,” he added.

Following is David Dizon’s report at ABS-CBNNEWS online:

Diversions of soldiers’ salaries and United Nations funds, multi-million cash gifts to military chiefs of staffs, and illegal military contracts were just some of the bombshells revealed during Thursday’s resumption of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing on military corruption.

Under pressure from senators, Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez reluctantly said her office would file a manifestation with the Sandiganbayan seeking to defer action on its plea bargain agreement with former military comptroller Carlos Garcia in light of testimonies of new witnesses that could bolster the plunder case originally filed against Garcia.
http://www.malaya.com.ph/feb04/news1.html
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/212155/ombudsman-to-file-manifestation-on-recommendation-to-withdraw-plea-bargain-deal

Former military budget officer George Rabusa, aided by his former staff Lt. Col. Ramon Antonio “Sonny” Lim, said former military chiefs Diomedio Villanueva, Roy Cimatu and Angelo Reyes received “pabaon” (send-off money) upon their retirements from active service.

Villanueva allegedly received the largest “pabaon” of P164 million, followed by Cimatu with P80 million and Reyes with P50 million.

Garcia’s letter

Published by Ellen on January 30, 2011

I don’t know if retired Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia will confirm this if asked in a Senate hearing but I learned that when he was in detention, he wrote a letter addressed to three persons detailing his version of the multi-million (even billion) mess in the military that he was embroiled in.

The letters, I learned, were placed in the safekeeping of those three persons with the instruction that in case something happens to him, the contents of the letter would be divulged.

This should give sleepless nights to all those involved in grand theft of the money intended for the soldiers, who lay down their lives, for the country’s peace, stability and security and for the upgrading of military equipment, that have become a laughing stock in the region.

Naisalba ni Rabusa ang konsyensa at kaluluwa

Published by Ellen on January 29, 2011

Sa Senate hearing noong Huwebes, tinanong ni dating chief of staff ng Armed Forces of the Philippines Angelo Reyes si dating military budget officer Lt. Col. George Rabusa,”During the time that I was chief of staff, if I became greedy?” (Noong panahon na ako ang chief of staff, naging gahaman ba ako?

Ang talagang tumbok nang tanong ni Reyes ay kung siya ay naging madamot at sinusulo lang ang pera.
Sinupalpal siya ni Sen. Jinggoy Estrada: “Hindi isyu kung ikaw ay gahaman. Ang isyu ay kung ikaw ay corrupt na hepe ng Armed Forces. Anong paki-alam namin kung ikaw ay galante?”

Shocked talaga si Reyes sa paglitaw ni Rabusa na iba na ang tuno ng kinakanta. Kasama na dito si Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia, dating military comptroller na ang kanyang ma-eskandalong plea bargain agreement sa Ombudsman, ang ini-imbistiga ng Senado at House of Representatives. Pati na rin siguro si retired Lt. Gen. Jacinto Ligot, dating military comptroller din katulad ni Garcia at Rabusa ay inakusahan ng pandarambong sa pamagitan ng paggamit ng pera na para sa mga sundalo para sa kanilang pansariling kapakanan.

Reyes got P50M as ‘send-off’ money, says AFP exec

Published by Ellen on January 27, 2011

Kimberly Jane T. Tan, GMANews.TV

A former budget officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday accused former Defense chief Angelo Reyes of receiving not less than P50 million as “pabaon” (send-off money) when he retired as military chief of staff in 2001.

“Upon retirement we give some amount to the retiring chief of staff,” bared former Army Col. George Rabusa during the Senate hearing on the controversial plea bargain agreement entered into by former AFP comptroller Maj. General Carlos Garcia and the Office of the Ombudsman.

Other highlights of the hearing:

-Special Prosecutor Wendell said in the light of the Rabusa testimony they may re-open the probe on Garcia.

-“I’m not applying to become a state witness,” Garcia said when asked by Trillanes the possibility of changing his mind and cooperate with the government.

Rabusa said he and then AFP comptroller Lt. Gen. Jacinto Ligot, his superior, personally brought the money to Reyes at the AFP chief of staff quarters dubbed as the “White House.”

Tag: George Rabusa

Palpak UAVs, and more exploded in Senate hearing

Garcia’s letter

Naisalba ni Rabusa ang konsyensa at kaluluwa

Reyes got P50M as ‘send-off’ money, says AFP exec