MANILA, Philippines?Retired Major General Carlos Garcia is not getting his New Year wish for freedom.

The Sandiganbayan on Thursday rejected Garcia?s nearly three-year-old petition for bail, saying that there was strong evidence against the former military comptroller.

Garcia has been detained on plunder charges for allegedly amassing more than P300 million illegally in connivance with his wife and sons. The rest of the family is detained in the United States.

The vote by the Sandiganbayan Special Second Division?s justices not to grant Garcia bail was a close one though. The count was 3-2.

In its ruling, the division said it was not swayed by Garcia?s contention that he should be granted temporary liberty because of the weak evidence against him.

?Indeed, the conglomeration of evidence presented by the prosecution is viewed by the court to be of strong character that militates against the grant of bail,? said the decision penned by Justice Teresita Diaz-Baldoss.

Among the evidence cited were the undeclared cash of $100,000 seized from two of Garcia?s sons at a US airport; the family?s numerous properties and vehicles in the Philippines and abroad; the statement of Garcia?s wife Clarita on the family?s sources of income; and Garcia?s own statements on his handling of Armed Forces of the Philippines funds from the United Nations.

The antigraft court was not convinced by Garcia?s argument that his wife?s sworn statements on the sources of their money were inadmissible because they were taken without the assistance of a lawyer.

Clarita had issued the statements to help the Garcias? petition for the release of the $100,000 that was seized from their sons Juan Paolo and Ian Carl.