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The P200 million check: the smoking gun in Garcia plunder case

Published by Ellen on January 24, 2011

If the general public was appalled by the plea bargain agreement struck by Maj. Gen. (ret.) Carlos Garcia and the Office of the Ombudsman , one can just imagine how it was with Heidi Mendoza, the government auditor who was the lone prosecution witness who gave documentary evidence in the plunder case against the former military comptroller.

Mendoza, who withstood all kinds of pressure while she was investigating the Garcia plunder case, said it was so painful to hear and read government prosecutors say that the reason they had to accept Garcia’s offer for plea bargain was because the evidence was weak.

Related articles:

Prosecutors ‘dumped own witness’ by Jarius Bondoc: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=650902&publicationSubCategoryId=64

Auditor in plunder case launches truth campaign: http://verafiles.org/main/focus/auditor-in-plunder-case-to-launch-truth-campaign/

Go slow on Garcia, auditor told: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20110125-316387/Go-slow-on-Garcia-auditor-told

Transcript of Mendoza Dec 3, 2008 testimony: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20110125-316389/No-one-from-COA-gave-me-the-support-that-I-needed

She said that’s what everybody was telling her and her team when they were investigating. Garcia was a smart guy, there was no paper trail in the more than P300 million that he was accused of filching from government funds.

Auditor in plunder case to launch truth campaign

Published by Ellen on January 23, 2011

By Yvonne T. Chua and Ellen Tordesillas
VERA Files

A former state auditor who testified against ex-military comptroller Carlos Garcia disclosed over the weekend a “request” from a government office for her to tell the public the evidence in the plunder case against the retired major general is weak.

For related documents: list of assets and properties, plea bargain agreement and the OSG intervention, click here -VERA Files.

But the request, made about a week after the Sandiganbayan on Dec. 16 allowed Garcia to post bail on the basis of his plea bargain agreement with special prosecutors, has only strengthened Heidi Mendoza’s resolve to reveal what she says is “the truth behind the Garcia case.”

“It is plunder; it is more than P50 million. I am standing by my story,” said Mendoza who left her job at a multilateral bank on Friday to embark on a “truthtelling” mission.

Plunder, the acquisition of ill-gotten wealth of at least P50 million by a public officer, is nonbailable and punishable by life imprisonment.

Mendoza, who headed a special six-member team the Commission on Audit detailed with the Office of the Ombudsman from 2004 to 2006 to investigate Garcia’s transactions, is the lone prosecution witness who told the court that the former comptroller committed plunder.

Padalang nawawala

Published by Ellen on January 23, 2011

Nakatanggap ako ng sulat mula kina Vincent T. Gonzales at Johanna Nuguid Gonzales na nagtatrabaho sa a Dubai, U.A.E. at sabi nila ay kasalalukuyang nandito sa “ Pilipinas Kay Ganda.” May problema sila sa LBC Express cargo.
Ito ang sulat ng mag-asawang Gonzales:

“ Ito po ay sa problema namin ng asawa ko sa palpak na serbisyo ng LBC Express Cargo dahil nawala daw po yung box na ipinadala namin mula Dubai, para po sa pamilya namin dito at nakapangalan bilang tatanggap ang mother-in-law ko na si Emma V. Nuguid.

“Ang jumbo box (22 x 22 x 30 inches) po na ito na may tracking number na 421001166188 ay na-pick-up sa bahay namin sa Dubai noon pang December 4, 2010 at inaasahan naming mai-deliver sa amin dito sa Tarlac pagkatapos ng isang buwan.

Behind the blogs

Published by Ellen on January 23, 2011

Today’s Sunday Inquirer is on Pinoy blogosphere. This blog together with my favorite blog, The Professional Heckler, were featured in Fe Zamora’s article,“Behind the Blogs.”

Heckling is a serious business best practiced only by professionals. Like Marcelo “Loi” Reyes Landicho, the man behind the irreverent Professional Heckler, who has been poking fun at politicians, celebrities and everyone else who gets in his line of fire.

Example is this blog posted one day in May 2010.

And the No.1 birthday message left on Sen. Mar Roxas’ answering machine…

“Hi Marrrrrrrrrr! This is Krissy! Gosh! It’s your birthday pala today! I almost forgot. Mabuti na lang, Tito Jojo Binay reminded me about it over dinner last night! Gosh, this is so embarrassing! Forgetful na talaga ang lola mo, pasensya na! Anyway, happy, happy birthday and I sincerely wish na ma-enjoy mo ang ‘yong pagiging ordinary citizen. Pakisabi kay Tita Koring, I miss her. Well, slight. Gosh! She won’t be Second Lady nga pala noh? How saaaaad! Bye, bye for now! I need to go. Oh my! Baby James, ano ba! ’Wag mong dilaan ’yang Villar bracelet. That’s dirty! Gosh this kid”

Patuloy na kababalaghan ng Maguindanao masaker

Published by Ellen on January 22, 2011

Hindi na ako magtataka kung sa kahuli-hulihan, papalabasin ng mga abogado nina Ampatuan na ang 58 na namatay noong Nob. 23, 2009 sa Maguindanao ay nag-suicide.

At siyempre, kung nag mass suicide nga ang mga ito, walang kasalanan si Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan, Jr. at ang kanyang ama na si Andal Sr., ang kanyang kapatid na si Zaldy, dating gubernador ng Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao. Hindi malayo na maabswelto na sila.

Matunog ngayon ang usap-usapan na tumataginting na P200 milyon ang pinakawalan na naman daw ng mga Ampatuan at mukhang makamtan na rin ni Zaldy ang kaniyang kalayaan na binigay ni dating Justice Secretary Alberto Agra at naudlot lamang dahil sa lakas ng galit ng publiko. Ngunit habang tumatagal, dumadami ang isyu na pinagka-abalahan ng mga tao, baka makuha na niya kasama na rin ng kanyang ama. Si Andal Jr siguro matagal-tagal pa ngunit doon na rin ang direksyun nun.

Auditor in Garcia case bares order to drop probe

Published by Ellen on January 21, 2011

From ABS-CBN:

(The Commission on Audit auditor who testified in the plunder case against former military comptroller Major General Carlos Garcia has broken her silence regarding her testimony in the Sandiganbayan, on the heels of the assertion by the special prosecutors of the Office of the Ombudsman that there was not enough evidence to convict Garcia of plunder. Heidi Mendoza, one of the main witnesses in the case, resigned from the Commission on Audit in 2006 after she was instructed to drop her investigation into the alleged anomalies involving AFP funds. Mendoza sat down with ABS-CBN’s Ces Oreña Drilon for an exclusive interview. — Eds.)

Heidi Mendoza thought she could just go on with her life and forget her court testimony before the Sandiganbayan. After all, she had landed a well-paying job in a regional financial institution. But like so many times in her life, Mendoza could not just sit back and be silent.

As she did in 2006, Mendoza recently resigned from her job so she could speak her mind. A 20-year veteran of the Commission on Audit (COA), Mendoza said her job to look into the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) fund mess began when Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo made a personal request to then COA Chairman Guillermo Carague for her to lead the team that will assist his office in the investigation of General Garcia.

Political strategist learns a few lessons

Published by Ellen on January 20, 2011

Last month, Malou Tiquia, president of Publicus, which is into political management and strategizing, went to her veterinary clinic in Quezon City to pick up her beagle.

She parked her car, a Ford Fiesta, in front of her vet’s clinic located between Ferino’s Bibingka and Tapa King and Pizza Hut. “The place is well lighted and guarded,” Malou underscored.

It didn’t take her five minutes to pick up her beagle and when she came back, she found her car burglarized.

“Tinangay lahat my whole bag with wallet, cards and everything, two laptops because we just came from a briefing of a client. My make-up kit,” Malou related.

Toy museum transforms a place of grief to a house of joy

Published by Ellen on January 18, 2011

Balay ni Datu Lubay 1 — Click on photo to view it enlarged

Where once there were only cries of anguish and despair, the voices heard from “Balay ni Datu Lubay” these days are expressions of fun and admiration.

Balay ni Datu Lubay (House of Datu Lubay) in San Jose, Antique houses Alex de los Santos’ collection of more than 1,000 dolls and figurines, some of them made by potters in the province.

The toy museum is run by the Datu Lubay Center, chaired by de los Santos who also serves as artistic director. Organized in 2008, the Center aims to promote culture and arts education among Antiqueños as a tool for empowerment and social change.

Wanted: a well-paying job for Romulo

Published by Ellen on January 16, 2011

Reports that former ambassador to the United Sates Albert del Rosario has agreed to be foreign secretary had raised the hopes of Foreign Service officers for reforms in the department that has been running without direction under Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo.

But their hopes were dashed as quickly as they were raised because it has been confirmed that Romulo succeeded in convincing President Aquino again to let him stay until April this year.

Our sources at the DFA and Malacañang said the suspended departure of Romulo has created awkward situations as demonstrated by a scene at the recent vin d’ honneur in Malacañang. Members of the diplomatic community were all greeting del Rosario because it’s known in the community that he was assuming the position anytime that week.
Cabinet members have been told to coordinate with del Rosario on matters concerning foreign relations.

That was the same instruction given to Presidential Adviser for Peace Process Ging Deles.Those who are lobbying to be appointed or re-appointed ambassadors have also been told “to go see Albert.”

PHL team wins championship in Asia-Pacific Pony baseball tournament

Published by Ellen on January 16, 2011

Philippine Ambassador to Vietnam Jerril Santos wrote me this. He asked me to post this as Facebook is inaccessible where he is right now.

Little razcals — The champions (Photo from Philstar)

Another sporting achievement in vietnam!

The Philippine tot baseball team today became champions in the Mustang division of the Asia-Pacific pony baseball tournament here in Vinh Yen stadium (about 50 km outside of Hanoi). The mustang division is for youngsters 9 to 10 years old. They defeated Singapore during the championship game this morning, 14 homeruns to to 5. Indonesia placed third and Vietnam placed fourth.

Nine-year old John Natanuan was awarded most valuable player for the Mustang division. It was a come-from-behind victory as the PHL team was down 5 runs to 1 in the early innings but bounced back and scored 8 runs in succession in the latter stages of the 6-inning game.

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