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DOJ chief eyes 'clearing house' for evidence on AFP corruption


Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Tuesday said she is keen on creating a panel to evaluate the evidence that her department will receive once it opens its probe into the alleged corruption in the military. De Lima said the separate panel — which she dubbed as a "clearing house" — will collect and build-up the evidence other than those submitted by former military budget officer Lt. Col. George Rabusa, Col. Antonio "Sonny" Lim, and former state auditor Heidi Mendoza. "I'm inclined to create a separate team with the sole purpose of just collating or gathering this evidence other than those that will be presented by Col. Rabusa, Col. Lim, and Heidi Mendoza. [The panel will ] evaluate [the evidence] and build up or strengthen the evidence before that can be assigned to separate panels for purposes of preliminary investigation," De Lima told reporters. She added that the "clearing house" will be composed of state prosecutors, state counsels, consultants and legal luminaries. "Sa prosecutorial strategies, mas maganda siguro'ng kunin din ang advice ng aming retired prosecutors na magagaling at maaasahan," De Lima said. (For the prosecutorial strategies, maybe we can get our retired prosecutors who are excellent and reliable.) The Department of Justice (DOJ) has yet to formally create a panel of prosecutors that will conduct the preliminary investigation based on the affidavits of Rabusa, Lim, and Mendoza, who have all been placed under the provisional coverage of the Witness Protection Program. Rabusa has not yet filed his more exhaustive complaint-affidavit, that will detail his knowledge of alleged corrupt practices in the military. He earlier testified about the tradition of giving "pabaon" (send-off money) to retiring chiefs of staff, giving "pasalubong" (welcome gift) to incoming chiefs, and "converting" funds for the benefit of members of the military's top brass. The allegations that former Armed Forces chiefs of staff pocketed military funds came out during hearings conducted separately by the Senate blue ribbon committee and the House of Representatives justice committee. The congressional inquiries are looking into the controversial plea bargaining agreement between the Office of the Ombudsman and accused plunderer Carlos F. Garcia, a former AFP comptroller. Garcia is facing a P303-million, non-bailable plunder suit. Last year, Garcia pleaded guilty to two lower, bailable offenses, and posted a P60,000 bail that gave him temporary freedom. Garcia was allowed to do so even if the Sandiganbayan's Second Division has not yet approved the plea bargaining deal. Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez said the agreement had to be entered into because the evidence against Garcia was "weak" to convict him for plunder. – VVP, GMA News

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