Whistle-blower: Half of AFP modernization fund spent on office supplies

The military spent half of its modernization fund for purchasing office supplies from the same set of suppliers, former state auditor Heidi Mendoza said in a congressional investigation Tuesday. Mendoza said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spent more than P76 million — more than half of the 1.6 billion modernization fund was actually utilized as of 2003 — for the “questionable" purchases of office supplies such as folders, toners, diskettes and printer cartridges. The former state auditor also said the office supplies were purchased from the same set of suppliers and for different prices. She said the AFP even purchased printer cartridges that did not match the specifications of the printers in military offices. Mendoza made these revelations in an investigation by the House committee on justice on the controversial plea bargain deal entered into by the Office of the Ombudsman and former military comptroller Carlos Garcia, an accused plunderer. Mendoza said these irregularities in military purchases could establish that Garcia is indeed guilty of plunder. “As comptroller, he (Garcia) is responsible in making sure that transactions are accounted for and properly recorded," she said during the hearing. Last year, special prosecutors from the Office of the Ombudsman entered into a plea bargain agreement with Garcia, who pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of direct bribery and money laundering instead of plunder as part of the deal. After admitting to these offenses, the ex-military comptroller was allowed to post bail and to temporarily walk out of jail in December last year. He was also allowed to return only P135 million out of the P303 million in ill-gotten wealth that he allegedly amassed while in active service. The House committee on justice terminated its investigation on the controversial deal. - Andreo Calonzo/KBK GMA News