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Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Wife says Garci to show if subpoenaed
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
EMBATTLED former election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano is just in Mindanao and will surface only if duly subpoenaed by the proper authorities.
However, there is still no certainty as to whether the former Commission on Elections (Comelec) officer who allegedly conspired with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to rig the 2004 presidential elections would be willing to face Congress.
There are also reports that some opposition officials are now asking Garcillano to stand as witness for the election fraud was committed by the President and her administration party.
In an interview over dxIF Bombo Radyo around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Garcillano's wife Grace said she last met with her husband in their farm in Baungon, Bukidnon last three or four days ago.
"Adtong Sabado or Domingo (Last Saturday or Sunday) just after lunch," she said.
She said they are having difficulties in trying to stay in contact following the surfacing of tapes of Garcillano's alleged conversation with President Arroyo fearing that his phone is bugged.
"My husband cannot call me using his cellphone. He can only contact me using another person's phone as we no longer have any privacy," she said in the dialect.
"Sometimes, Garcillano would look for another phone or he will have someone contact me...that is how our lives have been ruined these days," she added.
Grace said there is also no truth to her husband leaving the country with First Gentleman Mike Arroyo or that he took off using the country's backdoor.
"That is not true as we have an agreement that he would only stay here in Mindanao," she said.
When asked whether Garcillano would face Congress, Grace replied, "Garcillano is the only one who could answer that as we did not talk on that matter...he is now a private citizen and a subpoena is needed."
She added that her husband would not as yet surface as it is still not the proper time.
"Garcillano will come out but not this time as whatever he will do to explain everything still it will come to nothing...it would still be the same no matter how you strive everything is worthless," she said in the vernacular.
Grace debunked reports that Garcillano and the President met here in Cagayan de Oro over the weekend even lashing out at the one who 'fabricated' such reports.
"That is not true. The one who made up such stories has some eye problem that he could not see clearly," she said.
She recalled how there were even reports that the First Gentleman accompanied Garcillano but that the latter was just in his office.
"The one monitoring has weak eyes...First Gentleman has a companion who has the same body build with Garcillano," she said.
With regards to Garcillano's security, Grace said her husband is basically on his own though with some help from Comelec and private friends.
"Garcillano is trying to make it on his own. He comes from a poor background and is willing to even sleep on grasses. He is a survivor. He is unlike those officials who could not even sleep without a bed foam," she said.
"Garcillano has no security with him and he is only depending on close friends," she added.
When asked as to whether there were is the possibility on whether opposition officials have approached her husband to stand as witness on the controversial gloriagate tapes, Grace replied, "There are sources that said there are such plans but they are not conclusive...Garcillano will only come out in the proper time."
She said there is no truth to Arroyo trying to contact her husband as the president is "not stupid" to do so.
(June 22, 2005 issue)
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