MANILA, Philippines - The military yesterday vowed to boost its information drive on the proper filing of statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) in the wake of the arrest and detention of its former comptroller Carlos Garcia.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs chief Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said the case of Garcia would serve as a reminder for soldiers to declare all their assets.
“The confirmation of the sentence of General Garcia, as approved by the commander-in-chief, will serve as a lesson for AFP to be serious in accomplishing their SALN, which is required of us public officials,” Burgos said in a press briefing.
He noted that the submission of SALN is required when facing the promotion board.
“We will intensify the conduct of troop information and education focusing on filling out the statement of assets and liabilities properly,” he said.
Burgos said the Armed Forces Inspector-General conducts troop education every week on various topics.
He said the recent developments would prod them to increase the frequency on lectures about the SALN requirements.
“We will remind them about the need to file their SALN and to accomplish them properly. If you put false information in that, it will backfire on you,” Burgos said.
He gave assurance that the information drive would reach the soldiers in the field.
In 2005, the military court meted Garcia a two-year imprisonment and hard labor after it found him guilty of violating Articles of War 96 (conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman) and 97 (conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline).
The military tribunal said Garcia did not declare all of his assets in 2002 and 2003 and withheld information on his status as a permanent US resident while in the service.
The court-martial also ordered him dismissed dishonorably from the service. It also ordered the forfeiture of the benefits of Garcia, who retired in 2004.
The sentence was not enforced for almost six years since former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo did not confirm the military court’s ruling.
Rulings of the court-martial on a general can only be executed upon the confirmation by the president, who is also the military’s commander-in-chief.
It was only last Friday when Garcia was arrested and detained at the National Bilibid Prison to serve his sentence of two years imprisonment.
The Department of National Defense (DND) is now investigating what stalled the confirmation of Garcia’s sentence.
Early this year, a DND committee tasked to look into the alleged corruption in the military recommended a probe on former defense secretary Norberto Gonzales, and former defense undersecretaries Arturo Lomibao and Arturo Valenzuela.
The three officials have been accused of sitting on the sentence of Garcia.
The Special Defense Investigation Committee (SDIC), composed of four senior defense officials, said it could not find any trace of Garcia’s conviction and appeal at the offices of Gonzales, Lomibao and Valenzuela.
The panel members said they were only able to find the documents after a judicious search.
The SDIC was led by lawyer Patrick Velez and consisted of Defense Assistant Secretary Fernando Manalo, then Assistant Secretary Willie Palugod and retired Brig. Gen. Fermin de Leon.
The SDIC submitted its recommendations to Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin last April 6. Aquino approved Garcia’s conviction last Sept. 9, five months after the SDIC submitted its recommendation.