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AFTER snubbing a
summons four times, Maj. Gen. (ret.) Jacinto Ligot
finally appeared yesterday before the House defense
committee, only to invoke at least 20 times his right
against self-incrimination.
The same right was invoked at least
30 times by Maj. Gen. (ret.) Carlos Garcia when he
appeared late last year before the same committee
which is investigating corruption in the Armed Forces.
Garcia is accused of amassing wealth
while AFP comptroller from March 2001 to March 2004.
Ligot held the same post, from 1999 to 2001 when Interior
Secretary Angelo Reyes was AFP chief.
Rep. Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo,
invoking his right to privacy, declined to answer
questions during a Senate hearing on the "Jose
Pidal" bank accounts in 2003.
The committee headed by Rep. Roilo
Golez (Kampi, Parañaque) wants Ligot to shed
light on a magazine report he has assets disproportionate
to his income, including a house in Buena Park, California
worth $183,000; a residential unit at 19-A Lawton
Tower, Essensa East Forbes Condominium in Fort Bonifacio,
Taguig worth P22 million; a property in California
bought in 2003 and some $504,000; and an eight-hectare
property in Barangay Imbayao, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon
worth P5 million.
A five-hectare lot in Barangay Kalsungay
and a four-hectare property in sitio Kalatugonan,
Barangay Patpat, both in Malaybalay, were registered
under Ligot's children, Miguel and Riza. (Rep. Teofisto
Guingona Jr. during the hearing said it was "quite
interesting" that Miguel, who he said is only
19 years old, and Riza 24 years, have acquired properties
at their young age.)
Golez initially asked Ligot if he
has any addresses in Makati and Bukidnon to which
he replied in the negative.
He then conferred with his lawyer
and told the committee: "I have received charges
from the Ombudsman on the report. With due respect,
I'm constrained not to answer for the following reasons:
That the inquiry which is being conducted in aid of
legislation is being done in the aid of (my) prosecution,
with due respect. I was required to testify under
oath based on the report and so I'm no longer here
as a resource person but as an accused."
Golez explained the purpose of the
hearing is to find measures to reform the AFP. He
said the panel called Garcia and Ligot because the
post they held, the AFP comptrollership, is deemed
a source of corruption.
Ligot's statement did not sit well
with Rep. Rolex Suplico (LDP, Iloilo), who said: "We
haven't even asked him questions and he has already
accused us of prosecuting him. Well, General, you
better watch your manners here - the right venue to
clear your name."
Suplico later told reporters he would
move to cite Ligot for contempt.
"Papakulong ko siya dito until
he answers and we'll uncover this fraternity of thieves
in the AFP," he said. "Mukhang pamilya ito
ng mandurugas, like Ali Baba and the 40 thieves, this
guy is one of its members. We should find out who's
Ali Baba."
Representatives Guingona (KNP, Bukidnon)
and Arthur Defensor (Lakas, Iloilo) led in grilling
Ligot on specifics about his reported properties,
particularly whether he had other resources of income
that could enable him to purchase those properties.
To all these, Ligot stuck to his one-liner: "I
invoke my right against self-incrimination."
Ligot, however, admitted he had no
source of income other than the P30,000 to P40,000
monthly salary as comptroller. Prior to his retirement,
he said he engaged in agricultural business "as
a cooperative member" and with "not very
substantial income."
When Defensor asked him how much
his net worth is, Ligot said about P3 million. He
declined to provide details on his income tax return
(ITR), saying certain public documents "should
be held in confidentiality."
Defensor flared up and told Ligot,
"You're a comptroller and you don't know that
these are matters of public record?"
Ligot explained ITRs are not attached
to the SALNs they submit to the AFP's Office of Ethical
Standard and Public Accountability. He said the ITRs
are submitted directly to the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
Guingona asked Ligot who financed
the foreign trips of his wife Erlinda. He declined
to answer.
Rep. Imee Marcos (KBL, Ilocos Norte)
late last year said Mrs. Ligot made 28 foreign trips
when her husband was comptroller. She said Mrs. Ligot
and Teresita Reyes, wife of Interior Secretary Angelo
Reyes, traveled together 12 times.
Ligot, in an interview after the
hearing, said he felt somewhat "relieved"
after facing the committee.
"I now have to proceed to answer
the charges of the Ombudsman and hopefully, this will
be expedited to clear my name and my family's."
"I was asked here to be placed
under oath... I can't find any way that this is being
done in aid of legislation," he said.
Golez said the committee was able
to establish a similarity between the Garcia and Ligot
cases, "involving family members and the accumulation
of properties."
"Gen. Ligot refused to answer
20 times and that's eloquent enough from a moral point
of view that the questions on his wealth have merit,"
he said.
Golez said he would schedule another
hearing next week.
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