NR0818:On Garci's disappearing act; raid on safehouse

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release August 18, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, Chief of Staff
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Garcilliano’s testimony crucial to impeachment


Investigations; Malacanang ordered looting of evidence and proof against PGMA to undermine impeachment complaint, criminalize Opposition members

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today accused Malacanang of having a direct hand in the Comelec commissioner Virgilio Garcilliano’s disappearing act. According to reports, the controversial Comelec official has gone on to the United Kingdom after leaving Singapore. Beltran said that Malacanang is keenly aware of how crucial Garcilliano’s testimony is to the impeachment complaint hearings, and Garcillliano’s palace-orchestrated disappearance was a sign that Malacanang was afraid of what Garcilliano might say. “It’s in the interest of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo that Commissioner Garcilliano be never found. The moment Garcilliano steps into the congressional room to testify, he will not be able to help but spill the beans on his boss and electoral fraud accomplice Mrs. Arroyo,” he said.

Beltran said that without doubt Malacanang and its network was working 24-7 to ensure that Garcilliano is not found. He said that The Department of Foreign Affairs and the network of Philippine embassies and consulates all over the world are also instrumental in keeping Garcilliano’s whereabouts a secret. “Otherwise, they would have allowed Garcilliano to come out into the open and issue statements directly to the public, whether on his own defense or in the defense of Mrs. Arroyo,” he said. “Garcilliano is hiding with the full blessing from and assistance of Malacanang. When he opens his mouth, the risk that he might either perjure himself or completely expose Mrs. Arroyo is very great.”

In the meantime, the veteran labor leader turned lawmaker said that the raid on safehouse of the Opposition where evidence pointing towards the president’s electoral fraud were hidden was a sign of the extent of Malacanang’s determination to crush the impeachment complaint. He said that the Palace was using both fair means and foul, but mostly foul to undermine the impeachment process. “The raid was illegal and act of abuse of authority on the part of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Without doubt they are now fabricating justifications for the raid and to criminalize the guardians of the safehouse, as well as the members of the Opposition who put up the said safehouse,” he said.

Beltran said that Malacanang was trying to make up for the embarrassment caused by Environment Sec. Mike Defensor’s retraction on the supposed fraudulent nature of the ‘Hello, Garci’ tapes. “This time, the henchmen of Pres. Arroyo are directly looting evidence against the president, making sure that they will be able to secure opposition’s various proof and evidence to nail the president for corruption and electoral fraud,’ he said.

“This is political repression, and obstruction of justice. Malacanang is illegally confiscating and looting evidence against the president from the Opposition and using the PNP and AFP for its mop up operations. In the coming days, it’s possible that Malacanang and its various spokespersons will be presenting made-up evidence cobbled and put together from the PNP and AFP looted, and lay down trumped-up charges against members of the Opposition,” he said.#