Palace at a loss on Garcia being at NBP not stockade By Virgilio J. Bugaoisan 09/21/2011

Palace at a loss on Garcia being at NBP not stockade

By Virgilio J. Bugaoisan 09/21/2011

The Palace yesterday cannot cite a law that would justify locking up former AFP Comptroller (ret.) Brig. Gen. Carlos Garcia in a civilian penal facility at the National Bilibid Prison (NBP) despite his being convicted by a military court, and instead resorted to citing a vague explanation about an alleged “exception” to the rule concerning the military justice system.

President Aquino’s deputy spokesman Abigail Valte could not cite any specific provision of the law or even the rules on military conduct that would allow the incarceration of Garcia at the NBP instead of being sent to the military stockade.

Despite being a lawyer, Valte told reporters yesterday that Garcia was sent to the NBP upon the advice of the lawyers of the Department of National Defense (DND) but could not say if those who issued the recommendation cited any provision of law that allows soldiers convicted in court martial proceeding to be jailed in a civilian jail.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who is a former Philippine National Police chief, raised the question on the basis of Garcia being incarcerated in a civilian jail while his conviction was on his court martial case..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110921hed2.html