The United States returned yesterday to the Philippine government some P61 million in malversed and forfeited assets of convicted former Armed Forces of the Philippines comptroller Maj. Gen. Carlos F. Garcia.
US Ambassador to Manila Philip Goldberg turned over the treasury check for $1.3 million to Office of Ombudsman chair Conchita Carpio Morales during simple rites witnessed by officials from the US Embassy and the OMB.
Goldberg said the money was criminal proceeds seized and forfeited in the US from family members of Garcia who was convicted of indirect bribery and facilitating money laundering by the Ombudsman in 2010.
“The Garcia case is an excellent example of close cooperation and support by both the US Department of Homeland Security and the US Department of Justice to the efforts of the Ombudsman to fight corruption in the Philippines,” the US envoy said.
He added that “battling public corruption is a challenge that all countries face, including the US.”
It was the second turn over of Garcia’s ill-gotten assets.
MANILA BULLETIN
