‘Hello Garci’ draft report out

Five committees investigating the controversial “Hello Garci" scandal in the House of Representatives on Wednesday came out with a draft report on the alleged wiretapping of the President and a senior Commission on Eelection (Comelec) official in 2004. However, no specific recommendation was made regarding the possible accountability of former Comelec commissioner Virgilio Garciliano, believed to be the one talking to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on the taped conversation. The opposition claimed that Arroyo rigged the result of 2004 presidential poll with the helped of Garcillano whom Senator Aqulino Pimentel accused as one of the operator of “dagdag-bawas" operations (vote padding and shaving) in Mindanao. Arroyo in a nationwide broadcast, apologized for having a conversation with an unnamed elections official. Garcillano meanwhile denied the accusation when he appeared in the House panel after going into hiding for six months. Rep. Emilou Talino Santos (North Cotabato), chairperson of House committee on public information, clarified that Garcillano can still be liable depending on the amendments that members will incorporate on the final report. The lady slawmaker said, evidence to pin Garcillano on alleged poll fraud is not sufficient and if indeed he left the country at the height of the controversy. It was Rep. Gilbert Remulla (Cavite), former head of the public information committee, who uncovered that Garcillano reportedly flew to Singapore in August 2004. Remulla suspects that Garcillano’s passport which he presented before the House investigating panel was tampered. In the executive meeting, Rep. Etta Rosales (Akbayan), reiterated her request that Garcillano’s travel documents for the past five months be submitted by the Immigration Bureau. The members of the committees have until February 23 to deliver their amendments before they submit the final report for plenary approval on March. Rep. Rufino Biazon, (Muntinlupa), is now batting for the creation of a law that will prescribe specific agencies to be authorized in conducting wiretap operations. "The present law does not provide which agencies are authorized to conduct wiretapping operations, which in effect allows anyone and everyone to conduct wiretap/intercept operations. As such, it became a wild guessing game as to who was responsible for the Garci tapes," he said. The House committee draft report also acknowledged that the Garci scandal was aconspiracy to overthrow the Arroyo government. However, the report did not identify who or what group is behind the conspiracy. The report also indicated that Malacanang tried to cover up the controversy. The “Hello Garci" scandal started when Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye presented to the media in a press conference two copies of CD’s which allegedly contained a genuine and a fake conversation of the President.-GMANEWS.TV