Arroyo hits back foes for reopening ‘Hello, Garci’ hearing

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday struck back at her political opponents whom she said," are still following the old track of search and destroy." Citing that the entire nation is already moving forward through economic growth and political reforms via Charter change, the President in a statement said, Filipinos must set aside destructive politics and unite as "there is a continuing wave of world competition that we must constantly and ceaselessly prepare for." "It is unfortunate that there are those in the political arena who are still following the old track of search and destroy when the whole nation is already jumping into the new track of unify and build," Mrs. Arroyo said. "The Philippines is on a roll and there is no force that can stand in the way of growing enterprise and reform, with Charter change as the clincher of the big prize of the future," she said. Mrs. Arroyo issued the statement as the Senate continued its inquiry on Monday into the so-called "Hello, Garci!" tapes scandal, or the alleged wiretapped conversations between her and former Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano supposed to have been made during the canvassing of votes of the May 2004 elections. Herminigildo Estrella, a management consultant earlier hired by Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel told senators at the hearing that based on his study, votes taken from the tally for the late actor Fernando Poe Jr. were used to pad the votes for the President during the elections. For his part, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said "the flies are evident everywhere" in the Senate as the opposition continue to insist on reviving electoral fraud allegations against Mrs. Arroyo. “It's like flogging a dead horse to push its political agenda," Bunye said. "Unfortunately, the flies are evident everywhere as the Senate has resorted to inviting as resource persons its own consultants who are expected to provide evidence that favors conclusions the senators have already reached even before the start of their investigation." He said the Senate should "do its job" by passing the proposed P1.053 trillion national budget for 2006, the anti-terrorism and the anti-smuggling bills. Mrs. Arroyo said the country is “now encountering an integrated cycle of political stability, economic growth and social reform" as evidenced by the return of the formerly debt-ridden National Power Corporation to profitability, as well as the projected increase in US assistance. “Such developments," the President said, “signals an economy that has turned the corner and is poised for takeoff" and “is a mark of confidence that our reforms are taking root in the midst of gaining confidence and hope." “As investment flows rev up, we can clear more hurdles along the road and open broader opportunities for business and jobs," Mrs. Arroyo said.-GMANews.TV