Defensor pushes for Garci tapes authentication

SUBIC BAY — Environment Secretary Mike Defensor yesterday called on Congress to review and authenticate all versions of the controversial "Hello, Garci" tapes.

"With all the versions of the tape going around, it’s hard to pinpoint which is the original and which isn’t," Defensor told The STAR in an interview.

This came in the light of lawmakers withdrawing their statements on which tapes were authentic and worthy to be used in the ongoing impeachment hearings.

"I recognize the move of Congress to pull out all versions of the tape. However, I think that it is just fair for them to also recognize certain impeachment provisions concerning the pullout of these tapes," Defensor said.

He presented at a press conference in Quezon City last Friday the findings of Texas-based forensic video and audio analysis expert Barry Dickey who purportedly stated the two tracks of the controversial tape brought to him for examination contained "several anomalies."

He also brought in some local audio experts to bolster claims that the wiretap tapes being used as part of evidence against Mrs. Arroyo in the impeachment proceedings might have been "spliced and doctored."

"There is a difference between splicing and digitally altering a tape. This version that we had reviewed was altered digitally, only if it came in analog version could it be spliced," he said here.

Defensor had stressed the tapes might have been made to appear that Mrs. Arroyo and the election official she was supposedly talking to at the other end of the line were planning to rig the results of the May 10, 2004 presidential election.

The mere fact that Dickey acknowledged the anomalies in the taped conversations should be enough reason for the junking of the impeachment complaint against President Arroyo, he said.

The hearing on the impeachment complaints filed against the President at the House of Representatives resumed Tuesday.

But proceedings were mired, particularly with lengthy debates over what administration allies consider a "prejudicial issue" but which impeachment petitioners regard as a mere "technicality."

The discussions revolved around the question of which of the three impeachment complaints should be considered by the committee on justice: the original petition filed by lawyer Oliver Lozano, the second complaint lodged by another lawyer, Jose Lopez of Manila, or the opposition’s amended complaint that revised the pleading of Lozano with his approval.

Mrs. Arroyo is accused of winning the May 2004 presidential election using fraudulent means as she and her family also face allegations of benefiting from jueteng payola. — Bebot Sison Jr.