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Thursday, June 16, 2005
'Hello, hello Garci...will I still lead by 1M?'
CEBU CITY -- First came bootleg CDs, now it's a ring tone. It seems nothing can stop enterprising Filipinos from spreading part of the alleged wiretapped conversations between President Arroyo and Commission on Elections Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.
"They (UP law students) said the alleged voice of the President saying 'hello, hello, Garci' has been customized into a mobile phone alert tone," lawyer Marichu Lambino told ABS-CBN News Channel.
"Hello, hello, hello, Garci. So, will I still lead by more than 1M? Hello, hello..." goes the ring tone, based on the splice of the alleged wiretapped conversation.
Lambino, a UP law professor and member of the private prosecution team in the Estrada plunder trial, said she would not be surprised if the alleged recording would be made into a song or a play for spoof shows.
Lambino brought up the "Hello, Garci" ring tone fad when she was asked about her opinion on the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ban on airing the audio recordings of the alleged wiretapped conversation that show the President allegedly arranged with Garcillano to have the 2004 elections rigged.
But members of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) said they will still play the tapes in the interest of press freedom.
KBP president Jun Nicdao said the NTC failed to mention in its circular why television and radio companies should not broadcast the conversations.
"Under NTC rules, TV and radio firms could lose their franchise if they air material that would incite treason, rebellion or sedition. However, the audiotape itself does not incite sedition," he said in an interview over radio dzMM.
A joint House committee hearing will begin to look into the wiretapping starting Tuesday next week.
In the meantime, interest in the audio recordings has not waned, with CDs being sold and ring tones being spread through cellular phones. (Sun.Star Cebu/Sunnex)
(June 16, 2005 issue)
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