By Christine O. Avendaño, Philip Tubeza, Cynthia Balana
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Monday the Sandiganbayan’s approval of the plea bargain between former Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia and former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez was a “disappointing development.â€
“It’s a disappointing development because there were many substantive points and arguments that were raised by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) in asking for the revocation of the plea bargain agreement,†De Lima told reporters at the Villamor air base in Pasay City where she and other officials welcomed President Benigno Aquino III from Jakarta.
Saying the state cannot be bound by the “incompetence of its agents,†Sen. Franklin Drilon urged the Aquino administration to appeal the “totally erroneous†Sandiganbayan ruling.
Drilon said the OSG or the new Ombudsman could file a motion for reconsideration, or later elevate the case to the Supreme Court, by pointing out the “incompetence†of the prosecutors who handled the case.
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