Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MANILA1865
2006-04-28 09:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Manila
Cable title:  

COURT MARTIAL AFFIRMED IN MAJOR ANTI-CORRUPTION

Tags:  PGOV ECON KCOR SOCI RP 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7845
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #1865 1180929
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 280929Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0778
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/CDRUSPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS MANILA 001865 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EB

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON KCOR SOCI RP
SUBJECT: COURT MARTIAL AFFIRMED IN MAJOR ANTI-CORRUPTION
CASE

REF: A. MANILA 1726

B. MANILA 1342

C. MANILA 141

UNCLAS MANILA 001865

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EB

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON KCOR SOCI RP
SUBJECT: COURT MARTIAL AFFIRMED IN MAJOR ANTI-CORRUPTION
CASE

REF: A. MANILA 1726

B. MANILA 1342

C. MANILA 141


1. (U) On April 26, 2006, Armed Forces Chief of Staff
Generoso Senga affirmed the guilty verdict in the court
martial of former Major General Carlos Garcia on corruption
charges. The court martial sentenced Garcia on December 2,
2005 to two years' confinement at hard labor, and the verdict
had been awaiting the approval of Senga since that time.
Senga's approval will eventually be transmitted to the Board
of Review (composed of three senior officers of the Judge
Advocate General's Office, or, "JAGO") for evaluation, but no
timeframe has been set. Afterwards, the case will be
forwarded to the President for approval or pardon. The
President's decision will be final.


2. (U) Garcia has been detained at the PNP Custodial Center
since October 18, 2004, serving a two-year military sentence
(which includes time served while awaiting trial). A source
at the Sandiganbayan (the Philippine anti-graft court) has
stated, however, that Garcia will remain in custody even
after his two-year sentence is finished this October because
of pending cases of plunder and perjury before the court.
The arraignment for the plunder case of Garcia proceeded on
April 25, 2006 at the Second Division of the Sandiganbayan.
Garcia entered a plea of not guilty and a pre-trial hearing
was scheduled for May 25.

Kenney