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Friday, June 10, 2005
Part of tape refers to Cebu polls, stirs row
CEBU CITY -- Snippets of wiretapped phone recordings linking President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to alleged electoral fraud did not spare the proclamation of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.
The conversation, which the Daily Tribune website at www.tribune.net.ph published as part of a lengthy transcript, was between a man named "Gary" and someone giving orders for Garcia to be declared winner.
But Capitol consultant Pablo John Garcia, who spoke for his sister, said even if the tape is authentic, the conversation occurred when votes reflected in the certificates of canvass were already tallied and there was no more chance to change the figures.
Also, even if there was such an order to proclaim Garcia, Pablo John said it was clearly not heeded. When President Arroyo took her oath in Cebu last June 30, Cebu still did not have a proclaimed governor.
But Representative Clavel Asas-Martinez told Sun.Star Cebu Thursday that she has a copy of the audiotape and is convinced that it was Commission on Election (Comelec) Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano on the phone, talking with an unidentified man.
"Do we deserve a governor who won through cheating? Unsa man diay tang mga Cebuano, gibuang (Were the Cebuanos deceived)?" she said in a mobile phone interview.
Martinez, wife of Garcia's rival Celestino Martinez Jr., got the audiotape last Wednesday.
In a separate interview, Provincial Election Supervisor Edwin Cadungog downplayed the impact of the recording on the election result.
"The Martinezes themselves have a copy of certificate of canvass. Their leaders in the towns and the people know that they lost," he said.
The Martinez camp has filed a protest before the Comelec First Division contesting the victory of Garcia over Celestino Jr.
Garcillano, Martinez said, is among the three commissioners in the Comelec First Division.
She said she will block the confirmation of Garcillano in the Commission on Appointments and will file a motion asking him to inhibit himself from hearing their election protest.
"Now we know how he participated. After a long period, wounds heal, but when I found out yesterday through the tape for me, it was an insult for the Cebuanos and the Cebuanos should be the one to throw her (Garcia) out," she said.
Martinez said she is convinced it was Garcillano on the tape because she is familiar with Garcillano's voice. He regularly visits Congress to work out his confirmation, the congresswoman said.
Pablo John, however, doubts the tape's authenticity.
"But granting that this tape is authentic, wa man kaha gi-tamper ang votes to make Garcia win? Then perhaps, the intention was maybe to prevent more instability so the real winner should be declared," he said.
For five hours, Cebu did not have a governor after former governor Pablo Garcia's term ended, because of an intense tug-of-war between the lawyers of Garcia and former congressman Celestino Martinez Jr. at the canvassing.
Votes were already canvassed then, although only temporarily for some, because of moves to have votes from certain towns excluded from the counting. (JPM/AIV of Sun.Star Cebu/Sunnex)
(June 10, 2005 issue)
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Palace aide now not sure it was Arroyo