Akbayan spokesperson Risa Hontiveros today asked the Department of Justice (DoJ) to fast track the resolution of the case they filed before the Sandigan Bayan justices who approved the plea bargain deal entered into with former Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia.
“We know the DoJ has a lot on its plate right now. But knowing the justice department under Secretary De Lima, we have no doubts whatsoever that they will not fail the people,” Hontiveros confidently asserted.
Hontiveros made the statement amid reports that incumbent Sandiganbayan presiding justice Edilberto Sandoval, one of the justices charged is set to retire on June 20, when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70.
“We hope retirement will not triumph over the need for accountability,” Hontiveros said.
The former partylist lawmaker also responded to the statement made by Sandoval that the case filed against him and other Sandigan Justices was “unbearable.”
“We totally understand the sentiments of Justice Sandoval. However, the public too is agonizing over this lopsided plea bargain deal. It is also unbearable for the public to be defrauded and forced to bargain for justice,” according to Hontiveros.
Hontiveros also came to the aid of the military institution. “The Justices lament over the criminal case we filed against them but how about the pain our armed forces feel over a plea bargain deal that is detrimental to the interest of the institution?”
Hontiveros filed the case against the justices together with anti-corruption group, Onward Malinis na Gobyerno (OMG) before the Department of Justice claiming that their action in approving the plea bargain deal with Garcia was an unjust interlocutory order.
Under the plea bargain deal, Garcia was allowed to plead to lesser offenses of direct bribery and facilitating money laundering from the original plunder case filed against him. Under the deal, Garcia would turn over Php 135 million instead of the Php 303 million involved in the plunder case.
“It has become a patently unfair arrangement.”Hontiveros said of the plea bargain deal. “A plea bargain is usually entered into to expedite justice. What is happening instead is foot-dragging to shield the corrupt from being accountable.” ###
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