The two sons of former Filipino general Carlos Garcia lost Friday (March 6 in the US) in their appeal in court to set them free, and their mother will take her turn Monday (March 9) to contest her detention following her arrest Thursday (March 5) at the Detroit, Michigan suburb of Pontiac, GMANews.TV said on Saturday. Jack Gillund, spokesperson of the United States Attorney's office in Northern District of California in San Francisco, said over the phone that US District Judge Thelton E. Henderson reversed the order of Magistrate Judge James Larson releasing Ian Karl Depakakibo Garcia and his younger brother, Juan Paulo Depakakibo Garcia, on a $1-Million bond each. Meanwhile, Gina M. Balaya, media spokesperson for the US Attorney's office in Eastern Michigan in Detroit, said Clarita Depakakibo Garcia will be due for detention hearing on March 9 before US Magistrate Judge Steven D. Pepe at the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Timothy Mark Garcia, 48, his two younger brothers Ian Carl, 30, Juan Paulo, 27, and their mother, Clarita “are wanted to stand trial before the Sandiganbayan for the crime of plunder.” Timothy Mark is the only family member still at large. Their father, Gen. Carlos Garcia, along with his wife, Clarita and other family members, is charged with the crime of “plunder” in the Philippines after his two sons were caught in a US airport for carrying thousands of dollars in cash. The crime is punishable by reclusion perpetua (life imprisonment) to death, which was abolished in 2006. Ian Carl and Juan Paulo are due back in court before US District Court Judge Edward M. Chen on Thursday (March 12) at “9:31 a.m. for further detention hearing to modify bond conditions on the extradition case.” They were arrested separately in Las Vegas, Nevada and in Pontiac last Feb. 25 for bulk smuggling when they tried to bring into the United States $100,000 in 2003. They were charged with smuggling when they failed to declare to the customs inspector at the San Francisco International Airport the $100,000 in their possessions. Their father, Carlos Garcia, former comptroller of the Philippine armed forces, was recently found guilty in Manila for perjury for misdeclaring his assets and liabilities in 2000. The former military officer is now serving his two-year sentence. Garcia was accused of amassing ill-gotten wealth in the form of funds, landholdings and other real and personal properties in the amount of P303 million (US$6.9-M) that was “disproportionate to” his legitimate income. Except for Garcia, all members of his family are United States citizens. This status made it easy for his family members to take their money to the United States where they acquired real estate properties.
