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Sunday, October 02, 2005
More soldiers want to testify on poll fraud
MANILA -- Despite a gag order, an opposition legislator said 10 military officers want to testify on the "Hello Garci" wiretapping controversy before the Senate defense committee.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said in the weekly "Kapihan sa Sulo" forum Saturday that he has received feelers from the military officers concerned that they are willing to testify on alleged election fraud involving the Arroyo administration.
Pimentel refused to identify the military officials but he will ask the defense committee chaired by Senator Rodolfo Biazon to invite them and let them speak in the next hearing despite the issuance by President Arroyo of Executive Order (EO) 464, which bars government, police and military officials from testifying before any congressional inquiry without the permission of Arroyo.
"They are also supporting the statements made by (Marine Brigadier General Francisco) Gudani and (Marine Lieutenant Colonel Alexander) Balutan (on cheating in last year's elections)," Pimentel said.
Pimentel said many military officers believe that President Arroyo allegedly rigged the results of the presidential elections and used the military to make it possible.
He also said lower ranked military personnel are "demoralized" because of the alleged involvement of some top-ranking military officials in the wiretapping tape.
Meanwhile, Pimentel said because of alleged anomalies involving the administration and the gag order she issued recently, President Arroyo's allies in the Senate are dwindling in number.
"She has no more allies in the Senate, even Senator (Miriam Defensor) Santiago (has turned against her)."
Santiago said earlier that EO 464 oversteps constitutional bounds and that an administration order is better if the President wanted to give instructions to her Cabinet members and other officials before they testify in any Congressional hearing.
She urged the Supreme Court to strike down EO 464.
Pimentel also said the Senate will not stop conducting investigations on alleged irregularities involving Arroyo and her men "in their search for the truth."
He said most of the senators, including those from the majority bloc, consider Executive Order (EO) 464 as "unconstitutional."
Pimentel said many senators will soon turn their backs on Arroyo "because the President is already intervening in legislative functions", adding that "it is Malacañang and not the Senate that is creating a constitutional crisis.
He warned that if the President totally loses support from the Senate majority bloc, the proposed tax laws that she wants to be approved face rejection.
Meanwhile, former senator Francisco Tatad said Arroyo "is interfering in another branch's functions and powers."
Tatad also said with the issuance of EO 464, Arroyo "has declared war against the Legislative branch, particularly the Senate. (Sunnex)
(October 2, 2005 issue)
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