US turns over to Phl Garcia's $100,000

MANILA, Philippines - The United States government turned over a check for $100,000 to the Office of the Ombudsman yesterday, representing the money that was seized from former military comptroller Carlos Garcia’s sons in December 2003.

US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. personally handed the check to Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales in the presence of US Department of Justice (DOJ) attaché Robert Courtney III, deputy attaché Eric McLoughlin and US resident legal adviser Robert Strang.

“I am happy this morning to present you a check in the amount of 100,000 US dollars payable to the Republic of the Philippines,” Thomas announced before officials of the anti-graft agency and the media.

He said the amount was recovered from Garcia’s two sons, Juan Paulo Garcia, 30, of Pontiac, Michigan and Ian Carl Garcia, 33, of Las Vegas, “when they tried unsuccessfully to smuggle cash into the United States” eight years ago.

“The United States court ordered the money forfeited to the Philippines,” Thomas said, referring to the November 2010 decision of Senior US District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel of the Northern District Court of California after Garcia’s sons pleaded guilty to the charges.

He said the Office of the Ombudsman through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) asked the US government to return the money as it forms part of the alleged ill-gotten wealth of the former military official.

“I am happy to grant your request today as a symbol of United States’ support to the anti-corruption efforts that you are doing,” Thomas said.

Receiving the check, Morales said she “joins the entire nation today as we reap the fruits of years of monitoring, law enforcement, investigation, coordination and prosecution.”

She said the fight against corruption takes a big leap in asset recovery with the return of the money that was seized from Garcia’s sons to the Philippine government.

“On this note, the Office of the Ombudsman gratefully accepts this amount on behalf of the real beneficiary of these proceeds, the Filipino people, for proper disposition in accordance with law under further directions of the courts,” she announced.

“It is timely that this major development in asset recovery at the start of 2012 came on the heels of the country’s renewed effort in combating corruption,” she said.

“Indeed, the year 2012 ushers in a new hope and a fresh start for all of us. It also provides the needed push in sustaining the momentum of the nationwide campaign to uphold integrity in all aspects of governance,” she added.

“Gradually we are building and reaching the critical mass of social awakening in good governance. That the impossible is, after all, possible. That there is light at the end of the tunnel. That there are real honest and dedicated workers in government. That crooks in government could really get punished. That stolen money of the people can be recovered,” Morales said.

The return of the $100,000 was a result of a request made by former ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez based on the recommendations of Special Prosecutor Wendell Sulit on Jan. 4, 2011 that was coursed through the Department of Justice, which in turn sent the same to the USDOJ.