Saturday, August 25, 2007 Nalzaro: ‘Hello Garci’ scandal already history By Bobby Nalzaro Saksi
SEN. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, for reasons only known to him, has revived the “Hello Garci” controversy, which led to attempts to impeach President Arroyo in 2005 and 2006. The two impeachment complaints, though, were junked by Arroyo's allies in the House of Representatives.
But the scandal sparked a political turmoil with the resignation of some Cabinet members and the plunging of Arroyo’s approval rating. She later admitted talking to a Comelec official in the 2004 presidential election campaign and apologized for doing it.
Lacson's move is based on the testimony of M/Sgt Vidal Doble, a dismissed agent of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, who claimed having taped the President’s talk with then Comelec commissioner Virgilio Garcillano. In the tape, Arroyo asked Garcillano to produce one million votes in Mindanao to assure her victory against Fernando Poe Jr.
Lacson claimed he was able to secure the testimony of Doble, who said he used his cellular phone for the operation with the help of his contacts in Smart Communications, a cellular service provider. Doble said he failed to testify freely in the first congressional probe because the military abducted his family and warned him against saying things contrary to what his superiors told him.
Lacson said Doble is now willing to reveal the real story behind the controversial tape, this time free from coercion and intimidation.
But what else is new? I am sure Doble will present the same version of the issue, and we already know the content of the tape. So, what is the investigation for? The people, except those with hidden political agenda, are no longer interested in the probe because they know its political repercussion. It will divide the nation again.
We know that Lacson’s real motive in reviving the issue is political. Thus, senators will just be wasting, in the investigation, time and effort that could have been used to tackle more important matters that will help solve the pressing problems of the country and propel our economy forward.
Besides, what can we get in reviving the issue? Arroyo critics and the opposition already followed legal and constitutional processes in filing two impeachment complaints against her. Why don't we leave the “Hello Garci” controversy behind and consider it part of history?
Our country won’t go anywhere if we keep on reviving past political controversies. It's counter-productive.
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Congratulations to the members of Gamma Epsilon Fraternity and Gamma Lambda Epsilon Sorority for their 44th founding anniversary. Gamma Epsilon, also known as Falcons, is one of the oldest international collegiate fraternities. It was founded by some scholars in Aug. 25, 1963 at the University of Santo Tomas.
Gamma Epsilon has since then spread throughout the country, with more than 200 local chapters in various colleges and universities. It has also established chapters in the United States of America, Thailand, Europe, Spain and the Middle East.
Gamma Epsilon only recruits college students with good academic records and good reputation, both in the campus and in the community. Fly high, Falcons.
