|
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Take a lie test: Cebu congresswoman to Garci
CEBU CITY -- Representative Clavel Asas-Martinez admitted Tuesday that she talked with Virgilio Garcillano, but said it was the former election official who went to her office last year to ask for support for his confirmation at the Commission on Appointments.
Martinez (Cebu, 4th district), who was formerly allied with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, was a member of the commission last year.
She, however, denied talking with Garcillano during last year’s elections on matters related to the polls.
“What reason would I have to call him when I am very comfortable in my district?” Martinez said in an ABS-CBN report.
Garcillano is expected to testify before a joint House committee hearing on the allegations that he conspired with President Arroyo to manipulate the results of the presidential polls last year.
The Supreme Court, meanwhile, rejected the former Commission on Elections (Comelec) official’s petition to quash the arrest warrant the House of Representatives has issued. (Full story)
Capitol consultant on information, organization and management Pablo John Garcia said it is not surprising that the Martinez’s name is included in the list of those who called Garcillano.
“She even said before that she paid P2 million as down payment to fix the election for governor in Cebu,” said Garcia, younger brother of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.
Gwendolyn defeated Martinez’s husband, Celestino Martinez Jr., in last year’s elections. Both camps had accused each other of poll cheating.
Before his appearance in Congress Wednesday, Garcillano’s camp had begun its offensive by revealing names of congressmen, including four from the opposition, whom they said talked to Garcillano either over the phone or in person.
Aside from Martinez, three other opposition legislators--House Minority Leader Francis Escudero, Allan Peter Cayetano and Roilo Golez--allegedly made calls to Garcillano.
The four from the administration bloc were Rafael Nantes (Quezon), Benasing Macarambon (Lanao del Sur), Ricky Sandoval (Malabon-Navotas) and Danilo Suarez (Bataan).
The opposition legislators accepted the challenge of Garcillano’s lawyer Ed Tamondong that they should undergo a lie detector test to ascertain that they too have spoken with the poll official in the last elections.
Escudero and Cayetano said they are willing to undergo the test provided that they would have the test side by side with the President and Garcillano.
Martinez said she is also ready to submit herself to the same test, on condition that Garcillano and his lawyer do the same.
For his part, Golez said Garcillano should show the full list of congressmen who have talked to him in the last elections, including all officials in the executive branch.
In Malacañang, Press Secretary and presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said that as far as the administration is concerned, the case involving the President is already closed and Arroyo is already out of the fray.
“Now, it seems to be the turn of some legislators to face the moment of truth,” Bunye said.
The alleged wiretapped conversations between the President and Garcillano had set off a scandal last June that resulted in the filing of impeachment complaints against Arroyo before the House of Representatives.
In August, the House rejected the impeachment complaints. Five committees, however, are looking into the “Hello Garci” controversy.
Garcillano had been in hiding since last July and was reported to have left the country. He returned to Manila via Mindanao last Sunday.
Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. said they are willing to furnish Congress a listing and pertinent documents containing telephone calls made and received by Garcillano with regard to the wiretapping.
Abalos said the Comelec has kept Garcillano’s incoming and outgoing phone calls, since the cellular phone he used during the May 2004 elections was issued by the elections body.
“His (Garcillano) calls are public record so we can provide the records to Congress,” he said.
Records from the Comelec showed that Garcillano was issued a postpaid cellular phone from the commission when he was appointed as commissioner last February 2004. (Sunnex/with JPM, MBG of Sun.Star Cebu)
(December 7, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
