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Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Glo to talk about tapes ‘in due time’
President Arroyo still won’t comment on the wiretapping controversy linking her and a former Comelec commissioner to poll fraud, as the House of Representatives starts today its investigation on the allegations.
Arroyo, who is among those the House will invite in the probe, said she will respond to the wiretapping controversy “in due time.”
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said Arroyo just wanted the “highly charged and highly speculative” situation to cool down a bit before commenting on the issue.
Arroyo also assured investors during her trip to Hong Kong that security in the Philippines is “under control” and that she has the loyalty of the Armed Forces and other government authorities. The President is also banking on “responsible citizens” to help defuse the tense situation, Bunye said.
The House committee on public information, which Cavite Rep. Gilbet Remulla chairs, will lead four other committees in the hearings to be held at the House session hall.
Apart from the President, among those invited were fomer Comelec commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, former NBI deputy director Samuel Ong and Bunye.
Also invited for alleged involvement in the controversy were lawyer Allan Paguia, Edgar Ruado, technical sergeant Vidal Doble, and representatives from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), National Telecommunications Commission, and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
But Garcillano, who is allegedly one of those speaking in the audiotape, has left the country, apparently to avoid House investigation, a senator said.
Garcillano’s wife, however, said her husband is still in the country.
Support
In Cebu, the Provincial Board (PB) passed a resolution supporting President Arroyo but at the same time asking her to address the issue on the tape’s veracity.
Arroyo said last week that she will not dignify the wiretapped conversations with a comment because it is part of the opposition’s move to “entrap” her into helping them destabilize her government.
Bunye has said Malacañang will not answer questions on the wiretapped conversations because they were illegally obtained.
He also said the issue of the elections has been settled by the Supreme Court (SC) and it involves national security.
Presidential political adviser Gabriel Claudio said Malacañang is waiting for the letter from the five House committees that will hold a joint hearing on the wiretapping controversy, to find out what they will ask Arroyo to do.
As to Garcillano’s whereabouts, former senator Francisco Tatad said Garcillano flew to Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia on board a private plane Saturday night.
Tatad said Garcillano was escorted by Public Works Secretary Hermo-genes Ebdane Jr.
But Garcillano’s wife Grace denied that her husband has fled. She said her husband is ready to face any investigation.
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said the government cannot legally stop Garcillano from leaving the country or to appear before the Department of Justice investigating body created to look into the wiretapping issue.
Face the issue
Although he has urged the former Comelec official to face the wiretapping issue, Gonzalez said Garcillano cannot be placed in the watchlist of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) either, since there is no pending case against him.
Gonzalez said that based on BI records, Garcillano has not left the country.
“Unlike (Samuel) Ong, there is no case filed against him (Garcillano) so we can’t compel him to appear, unless there is a subpoena, or a court issues a hold departure order against him,” Gonzalez said.
He said Congress can issue a subpoena or invite Garcillano for questioning, but only as a resource person in aid of legislation.
Muntinlupa Rep. Rafael Biazon, vice chair of the House committee on national defense, one of the five committees tasked to look into the wiretapping controversy, said that if ever Garcillano has fled the country, they would seek his extradition.
Biazon said the reported departure of Garcillano would not bar them from pursuing the investigation.
“We will summon him (Garcillano) wherever he is,” he said.
Earnest appeal
As the Lower House begins its inquiry on the tape scandal, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago asked the House of Representatives to respect the principle of executive privilege when the matter involves military, diplomatic and national security secrets.
“(But) executive privilege is not absolute because it should yield to higher claims to judicial process in any criminal case,” she said.
Under the principle of executive privilege, Santiago said the President is immune from any legal process when performing her constitutional duties.
Amid the allegations hurled against the President, the PB passed a resolution throwing its full support behind Arroyo.
However, the body is “earnestly appealing” to her to address the issue on the veracity of her alleged taped conversation with a Comelec official.
PB Member Gabriel Luis Quisumbing sponsored the resolution expressing support for Arroyo but PB Member Victor Maambong filed an incidental resolution titled “earnestly appealing to Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to address the issue on the veracity of the tape.”
There was a division of the house before Maambong’s resolution was passed during the board’s out-of-town session in Sibonga yesterday.
Those who voted in favor were PB Members Maambong, Juan Bolo, Raul Bacaltos, Agnes Magpale, Teresita Celis and Alfred Ouano while those who voted against it were PB Members Quisum-bing, Victoria Corominas, Jose Ma. Gastardo, Carmiano Kintanar and Antonio Almirante Jr.
PB Members Joven Mondigo, Judy Durano and Ramon Martinez Calderon were absent.
Since there was a tie, Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez had to vote. He voted in favor of the resolution. (Sunnex/MBG)
(June 21, 2005 issue)
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