bluethehero
Nov 28, 2005, 12:52 AM
Garci says hello, talks exclusively to ABS-CBN
The elusive former poll commissioner Virgilio Garcillano has surfaced to deny charges of conniving with President Arroyo to rig the 2004 presidential election, ABS-CBN News learned Sunday.
In a one-on-one interview with ABS-CBN's Henry Omaga-Diaz, Garcillano denied all charges of election fraud against him.
Garcillano said he is willing to present himself at the House of Representatives to belie the political opposition's claims that the President won last year's election by committing electoral fraud in Mindanao.
"Yes, in fact just to erase that thinking that we talked about rigging of elections because I can tell you and I swear that there was no such thing as rigging the last elections," Garcillano said when asked if he is willing to face congressional investigations.
The House has issued an arrest warrant against Garcillano after his three consecutive failure to attend the electoral fraud investigations being heard by five committees led by Cavite Rep. Gilbert Remulla.
Recently, the House joint committees alloted at least P1 million for the capture of Garcillano.
Last week, Garcillano's wife Grace granted another exclusive interview with ABS-CBN News and said that her husband is preparing to surface and clear the issue on the Hello Garci tapes.
Mrs. Garcillano denied that she and her husband left the country.
Reports said Garcillano has been going around Mindanao to prevent authorities from locating him.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/topofthehour.aspx?StoryId=23217
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Garci: Lacson one of reasons for hiding
Former election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano on Sunday said Sen. Panfilo Lacson was one of the reasons he decided to disappear from the public eye, TV Patrol World reported Sunday. Garcillano said word that Lacson's men were looking for him was enough to send him packing.
"Knowing the reputation and capability of Lacson, I thought it was best for me to withdraw from the public eye," Garcillano said in a statement he read during a one-on-one interview with ABS-CBN's Henry Omaga-Diaz.
Garcillano said days after the "Hello Garci" tapes scandal broke out, Cavite Governor Ireneo Maliksi called him up to warn him. "Lacson's people were looking for me," Garcillano said in a statement.
Lacson, in another TV Patrol World report, said that the political opposition was indeed looking for Garcillano.
He, however, said they only wanted to convince the former poll official to come out and shed light on the scandal.
Lacson said he is the last person who would want Garcillano dead. The former election official is the only "key" to prove that President Arroyo cheated in the May 2004 presidential election, the senator said.
"[Who else would want] Garcillano alive and talking? Eh ako 'yun," Lacson said.
In the interview with Diaz, Garcillano denied conniving with the President to cheat in last year's election in favor of Mrs. Arroyo.
"Let it be made clear that I never had any chance, any discussion or phone conversatin with any candidate, much less with the President, for the purpose of manipulating or influencing the result of the 2004 elections," Garcillano said.
Garcillano, in parts of the interview aired over ANC at noon Sunday, admitted to talking to the President after the election took place. He, however, said the conversation had nothing to do with electoral fraud.
He said the President only called up to inquire how her lead against the late Fernando Poe Jr. was reduced.
"The President was asking why her advantage over [Fernando Poe Jr.] had been reduced to 892, 000. That was May 24," Garcillano told Diaz during the interview.
He added: "We are talking of the votes already counted so how can you rig the election? Besides, the results of the elections in almost all the provinces throughout the Philippines had already been submitted beyond the reach of anybody."
Garcillano said the President called him up out of concern for her votes.
He added that several opposition candidates also called him up during the canvassing of the elections results. "She (Arroyo) was not the only one who called me up. There were many people who called me up," Garcillano told Diaz.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=23235
--------------
Garci surfaces, admits talking to Arroyo, opposition bets
Former poll commissioner Virgilio Garcillano admitted on Sunday talking to President Arroyo and opposition leaders during the canvassing of the 2004 national elections but denied that he helped rig the elections.
In an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN's Henry Omaga-Diaz, Garcillano admitted that Mrs. Arroyo called her up on May 24, 2004 to inquire about her votes.
"The President was asking why her advantage over [Fernando Poe Jr.] had been reduced 892, 000. That was May 24," Garcillano told Diaz.
He added: "We are talking of the votes already counted so how can you rig the election? Besides, the results of the elections in almost all the provinces throughout the Philippines had already been submitted to congress beyond the reach of anybody."
Garcillano said the President called him up out of concern for her votes.
He added that several opposition candidates also called him up during the canvassing of the elections results. "She (Arroyo) was not the only one who called me up. There were many people who called me up," Garcillano told Diaz.
He said he is willing to appear before the House of Representatives and belie the political opposition's claims that Mrs. Arroyo won last year's presidential race by rigging election results in Mindanao.
"Yes, in fact just to erase that thinking that we talked about rigging of elections. I can tell you and I swear that there was no such thing as rigging the last elections," Garcillano told Diaz.
Diaz reported that Garcillano went into hiding for fear of his life after the wiretap tapes of his alleged conversations with Mrs. Arroyo surfaced last June.
"I have to make myself rare for a while for fear of my life and that of my wife," Garcillano said.
Garcillano also claimed that he received information that some people were out to liquidate him. He said these people would try to "force him to tell something that is untrue and discredit others who are on the other side of the fence." Garcillano did not give names.
Supporters and detractors of President Arroyo released several versions of the alleged wiretap tapes last June, which were allegedly recorded by military intelligence agents during the canvassing of last year's elections.
The tapes allegedly recorded conversations between Garcillano and several public officials, including a woman who sounded like Mrs. Arroyo.
The President publicly apologized last June 27 for talking to an election officer last year but denied cheating in the elections. The tapes sparked off the worst political crisis in the President's term, which culminated in a failed impeachment bid against her.
Garcillano said he is uncertain if the voice recorded in the alleged wiretap tapes was his.
"Hindi niya (Garcillano) sigurado kung siya ang nasa 'Hello Garci' tapes (He is unsure if it is his voice in the 'Hello Garci' tapes)," Diaz quoted Garcillano as saying.
Garcillano also claimed that the tapes were spurious and spliced.
He added that he will only surface before the House of Representatives' wiretap inquiry if the lower chamber lifts the warrant of arrest it issued against him.
Garcillano's interview with ABS-CBN came after his lawyer Eddie Tamondong petitioned the Supreme Court Thursday to nullify the arrest warrant issued by the House.
In the petition, Garcillano also asked the high court to nullify the House joint committee hearings on the Hello Garci tapes. He said the proceedings violated the anti-wiretapping law.
The House issued an arrest warrant against Garcillano for failing to attend three consecutive hearings of the wiretap inquiry being heard by five House committees. The joint inquiry earlier raised P5 million in reward for the capture of Garcillano.
Last week, Garcillano's wife Grace told ABS-CBN's Ricky Carandang that her husband was preparing to surface after going into hiding for almost six months.
Mrs. Garcillano denied that she and her husband left the country. She added that her husband has been hiding in Mindanao to prevent authorities from capturing him.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=23224
---------------------------
Garci under tight guard in Mindanao
Virgilio Garcillano is under tight security somewhere in Mindanao, ABS-CBN News learned Sunday as reporter Henry Omaga-Diaz met him for the first time since the former poll commissioner disappeared from public view in July.
Diaz had an exclusive interview with Garcillano in an undisclosed location in Mindanao. Parts of the interview were initially aired over ANC at noon Sunday.
Before meeting Garcillano face-to-face, Diaz said he and his crew were fetched by Garcillano's representatives from a hotel in Mindanao Satuday night. They were then brought to a house where they changed vehicles.
Blindfolded, Diaz felt they crossed several rivers before reaching their final destination. "May mga ilog kaming dinaanan," he said.
After traveling for hours, they reached a hut where he met Garcillano.
In the interview, Diaz said Garcillano read part of his statement.
"I have to make myself rare for a while for fear of my life and that of my wife," he said.
Garcillano also said that people have been following him since the "Hello Garci" tapes came out.
"There were also intimidating text messages. There were also insinuations by politicians that I might be liquidated by either side of the political isle," Garcillano said in his statement.
The report sent by Diaz to ABS-CBN news center also indicated that the security personnel closely guarding is being provided by "forces outside the government." This is contrary to claims made by the political opposition that Garcillano's guards were from the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Relatedly, Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said that there is also a possibility that Garcillano is already dead since he carries "vital information" on electoral fraud charges against the President.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=23220
----------------------------------------
Sa ANC Playback, naroon ang abogado and best friend kuno ni Garci na si Atty. Ed Tamondong. sabi nya, he has no way to tell kung gaano kayaman si garci, pero sabay sabi nya, 10 yrs na nya friend ito. hehehe. la lang.
nga pala, watch TV PATROL WORLD later [Monday] 6:30 PM to see the full-length interview on Garci.
The elusive former poll commissioner Virgilio Garcillano has surfaced to deny charges of conniving with President Arroyo to rig the 2004 presidential election, ABS-CBN News learned Sunday.
In a one-on-one interview with ABS-CBN's Henry Omaga-Diaz, Garcillano denied all charges of election fraud against him.
Garcillano said he is willing to present himself at the House of Representatives to belie the political opposition's claims that the President won last year's election by committing electoral fraud in Mindanao.
"Yes, in fact just to erase that thinking that we talked about rigging of elections because I can tell you and I swear that there was no such thing as rigging the last elections," Garcillano said when asked if he is willing to face congressional investigations.
The House has issued an arrest warrant against Garcillano after his three consecutive failure to attend the electoral fraud investigations being heard by five committees led by Cavite Rep. Gilbert Remulla.
Recently, the House joint committees alloted at least P1 million for the capture of Garcillano.
Last week, Garcillano's wife Grace granted another exclusive interview with ABS-CBN News and said that her husband is preparing to surface and clear the issue on the Hello Garci tapes.
Mrs. Garcillano denied that she and her husband left the country.
Reports said Garcillano has been going around Mindanao to prevent authorities from locating him.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/topofthehour.aspx?StoryId=23217
-----------------
Garci: Lacson one of reasons for hiding
Former election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano on Sunday said Sen. Panfilo Lacson was one of the reasons he decided to disappear from the public eye, TV Patrol World reported Sunday. Garcillano said word that Lacson's men were looking for him was enough to send him packing.
"Knowing the reputation and capability of Lacson, I thought it was best for me to withdraw from the public eye," Garcillano said in a statement he read during a one-on-one interview with ABS-CBN's Henry Omaga-Diaz.
Garcillano said days after the "Hello Garci" tapes scandal broke out, Cavite Governor Ireneo Maliksi called him up to warn him. "Lacson's people were looking for me," Garcillano said in a statement.
Lacson, in another TV Patrol World report, said that the political opposition was indeed looking for Garcillano.
He, however, said they only wanted to convince the former poll official to come out and shed light on the scandal.
Lacson said he is the last person who would want Garcillano dead. The former election official is the only "key" to prove that President Arroyo cheated in the May 2004 presidential election, the senator said.
"[Who else would want] Garcillano alive and talking? Eh ako 'yun," Lacson said.
In the interview with Diaz, Garcillano denied conniving with the President to cheat in last year's election in favor of Mrs. Arroyo.
"Let it be made clear that I never had any chance, any discussion or phone conversatin with any candidate, much less with the President, for the purpose of manipulating or influencing the result of the 2004 elections," Garcillano said.
Garcillano, in parts of the interview aired over ANC at noon Sunday, admitted to talking to the President after the election took place. He, however, said the conversation had nothing to do with electoral fraud.
He said the President only called up to inquire how her lead against the late Fernando Poe Jr. was reduced.
"The President was asking why her advantage over [Fernando Poe Jr.] had been reduced to 892, 000. That was May 24," Garcillano told Diaz during the interview.
He added: "We are talking of the votes already counted so how can you rig the election? Besides, the results of the elections in almost all the provinces throughout the Philippines had already been submitted beyond the reach of anybody."
Garcillano said the President called him up out of concern for her votes.
He added that several opposition candidates also called him up during the canvassing of the elections results. "She (Arroyo) was not the only one who called me up. There were many people who called me up," Garcillano told Diaz.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=23235
--------------
Garci surfaces, admits talking to Arroyo, opposition bets
Former poll commissioner Virgilio Garcillano admitted on Sunday talking to President Arroyo and opposition leaders during the canvassing of the 2004 national elections but denied that he helped rig the elections.
In an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN's Henry Omaga-Diaz, Garcillano admitted that Mrs. Arroyo called her up on May 24, 2004 to inquire about her votes.
"The President was asking why her advantage over [Fernando Poe Jr.] had been reduced 892, 000. That was May 24," Garcillano told Diaz.
He added: "We are talking of the votes already counted so how can you rig the election? Besides, the results of the elections in almost all the provinces throughout the Philippines had already been submitted to congress beyond the reach of anybody."
Garcillano said the President called him up out of concern for her votes.
He added that several opposition candidates also called him up during the canvassing of the elections results. "She (Arroyo) was not the only one who called me up. There were many people who called me up," Garcillano told Diaz.
He said he is willing to appear before the House of Representatives and belie the political opposition's claims that Mrs. Arroyo won last year's presidential race by rigging election results in Mindanao.
"Yes, in fact just to erase that thinking that we talked about rigging of elections. I can tell you and I swear that there was no such thing as rigging the last elections," Garcillano told Diaz.
Diaz reported that Garcillano went into hiding for fear of his life after the wiretap tapes of his alleged conversations with Mrs. Arroyo surfaced last June.
"I have to make myself rare for a while for fear of my life and that of my wife," Garcillano said.
Garcillano also claimed that he received information that some people were out to liquidate him. He said these people would try to "force him to tell something that is untrue and discredit others who are on the other side of the fence." Garcillano did not give names.
Supporters and detractors of President Arroyo released several versions of the alleged wiretap tapes last June, which were allegedly recorded by military intelligence agents during the canvassing of last year's elections.
The tapes allegedly recorded conversations between Garcillano and several public officials, including a woman who sounded like Mrs. Arroyo.
The President publicly apologized last June 27 for talking to an election officer last year but denied cheating in the elections. The tapes sparked off the worst political crisis in the President's term, which culminated in a failed impeachment bid against her.
Garcillano said he is uncertain if the voice recorded in the alleged wiretap tapes was his.
"Hindi niya (Garcillano) sigurado kung siya ang nasa 'Hello Garci' tapes (He is unsure if it is his voice in the 'Hello Garci' tapes)," Diaz quoted Garcillano as saying.
Garcillano also claimed that the tapes were spurious and spliced.
He added that he will only surface before the House of Representatives' wiretap inquiry if the lower chamber lifts the warrant of arrest it issued against him.
Garcillano's interview with ABS-CBN came after his lawyer Eddie Tamondong petitioned the Supreme Court Thursday to nullify the arrest warrant issued by the House.
In the petition, Garcillano also asked the high court to nullify the House joint committee hearings on the Hello Garci tapes. He said the proceedings violated the anti-wiretapping law.
The House issued an arrest warrant against Garcillano for failing to attend three consecutive hearings of the wiretap inquiry being heard by five House committees. The joint inquiry earlier raised P5 million in reward for the capture of Garcillano.
Last week, Garcillano's wife Grace told ABS-CBN's Ricky Carandang that her husband was preparing to surface after going into hiding for almost six months.
Mrs. Garcillano denied that she and her husband left the country. She added that her husband has been hiding in Mindanao to prevent authorities from capturing him.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=23224
---------------------------
Garci under tight guard in Mindanao
Virgilio Garcillano is under tight security somewhere in Mindanao, ABS-CBN News learned Sunday as reporter Henry Omaga-Diaz met him for the first time since the former poll commissioner disappeared from public view in July.
Diaz had an exclusive interview with Garcillano in an undisclosed location in Mindanao. Parts of the interview were initially aired over ANC at noon Sunday.
Before meeting Garcillano face-to-face, Diaz said he and his crew were fetched by Garcillano's representatives from a hotel in Mindanao Satuday night. They were then brought to a house where they changed vehicles.
Blindfolded, Diaz felt they crossed several rivers before reaching their final destination. "May mga ilog kaming dinaanan," he said.
After traveling for hours, they reached a hut where he met Garcillano.
In the interview, Diaz said Garcillano read part of his statement.
"I have to make myself rare for a while for fear of my life and that of my wife," he said.
Garcillano also said that people have been following him since the "Hello Garci" tapes came out.
"There were also intimidating text messages. There were also insinuations by politicians that I might be liquidated by either side of the political isle," Garcillano said in his statement.
The report sent by Diaz to ABS-CBN news center also indicated that the security personnel closely guarding is being provided by "forces outside the government." This is contrary to claims made by the political opposition that Garcillano's guards were from the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Relatedly, Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said that there is also a possibility that Garcillano is already dead since he carries "vital information" on electoral fraud charges against the President.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=23220
----------------------------------------
Sa ANC Playback, naroon ang abogado and best friend kuno ni Garci na si Atty. Ed Tamondong. sabi nya, he has no way to tell kung gaano kayaman si garci, pero sabay sabi nya, 10 yrs na nya friend ito. hehehe. la lang.
nga pala, watch TV PATROL WORLD later [Monday] 6:30 PM to see the full-length interview on Garci.