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NBI files criminal raps vs ex-PNP general Garbo, wife

By Perfecto Raymundo, Jr.

November 29, 2017, 2:27 pm

MANILA -- The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday filed criminal charges before the Office of the Ombudsman (Ombudsman) against retired police Gen. Marcelo Garbo, Jr., whom President Rodrigo Roa Duterte implicated in the illegal drug trade, and his wife for alleged ill-gotten wealth amounting to PHP35.36 million.

The complaints include falsification of public documents, violation of Republic Act 6713 or the “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees”, RA 3019 or the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act”, and RA 1379 or “forfeiture of properties” in favor of the Philippine government against Garbo and his wife, Atty. Rosalinda Garbo.

After a probe conducted from December 2016 to October 2017, the NBI concluded that the Garbo couple amassed assets way beyond their legitimate income and for non-declaration of certain assets such as various vehicles and shares of stocks in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) from 2005 to 2015.

Among the alleged undeclared assets were golf club shares worth PHP1.1 million and vehicles such as Hyundai Sta. Fe, Toyota Hiace Grandia and Kia Sportage.

Likewise, the NBI has recommended to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to make a request, through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), with the United States government to determine if indeed Rosalinda Garbo or any member of the Garbo family owns a real property in the US so that the property will be subject to forfeiture proceedings.

Nung pinatawag namin si General Garbo [last July], pumunta naman ang lawyer niya, (When we summoned General Gardo last July, his lawyer came) we were expecting some explanation [on undeclared assets] pero he did not offer an explanation so we based our findings sa mga documents na na-gather namin (but he did not offer an explanation so we based our findings on the documents that we have gathered),” NBI Anti-Graft Division head Nathaniel Ramos told reporters.

Ramos said that they were not able to determine if the undeclared assets may have been sourced from the proceeds of illegal drug trade.

However, the NBI made assurances that its investigation on the drug links of the so-called “narco generals” is still ongoing.

Aside from Garbo, President Duterte also implicated in the illegal drug trade retired Chief Superintendent and now Daanbatayan, Cebu Mayor Vicente Loot, former Western Visayas police regional director Chief Superintendent Bernardo Diaz, former National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Superintendent Joel Pagdilao and former Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Chief Superintendent Edgardo Tinio. (PNA)

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