The National Treasury received more than P53.6 million and 11 real estate properties in connection with the direct bribery and money laundering case of retired major general Carlos Garcia.
The Office of the Ombudsman on Tuesday turned over the said assets.
The real estate properties are in Baguio City, Batangas, Guimaras, and Iloilo that the turnover is part of the plea bargaining agreement entered by Garcia where he was offered to cede P135.4 million worth of cash, real and personal properties he and his family owned in favor of the government, GMA News reported.
The GMA News report further said Garcia pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of direct bribery and facilitating money laundering instead of plunder and money laundering for conniving and conspiring with co-accused members of his family and amassing P303.2 million worth of ill-gotten wealth.
Lawyer Rawnsle Lopez, Ombudsman public information and media relations acting director, said that as of date, a total of P135 million has been remitted by the Ombudsman to the national treasury as forfeited properties of Garcia.
“As of date, a total of P135 million has already been remitted by the Ombudsman to the national treasury as forfeited properties of Garcia,” Lopez said during the press conference.
Lopez said this represented cash, motor vehicles, real estate properties in the Philippines and New York City, and funds from two accounts maintained in New York.
According to Deputy OmbudsmanJose Balmeo, Garcia’s wife and children are not covered by the plea bargaining agreement.