Palace dares critics to find ‘missing witnesses’

Malacañang challenged administration critics yesterday to track down for themselves the so-called "missing witnesses" in the cases against President Arroyo.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said those who are seeking the witnesses should be the ones to go after them.

"Some of these people are already out of government service and I believe there are proper processes to bring them or to compel them to attend (hearings)," he said.

"I don’t think we can answer for those who are no longer part of government. I believe that’s their responsibility," Bunye told reporters.

Critics said the Arroyo administration is trying to sweep under the rug all its scandals and prefers to keep the people who could possibly testify against the President under wraps.

These "missing witnesses" reportedly include former elections commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, former agriculture secretary Luis "Cito" Lorenzo and erstwhile DA undersecretary Jocelyn "Joc-Joc" Bolante.

Garcillano went missing after the "Hello Garci" controversy broke out in June. He is believed to be the Commission on Elections (Comelec) official whom the President was speaking with on the wiretapped conversations that came to be known as the "Hello, Garci" recordings.

These recordings supposedly provided proof that the President cheated in the May 2004 elections in connivance with Garcillano.

Lorenzo and Bolante, on the other hand, failed to attend the Senate hearing on the alleged fertilizer fund scam last Oct. 6.

Mrs. Arroyo allegedly diverted the P728-million fertilizer fund into her 2004 presidential campaign kitty.

Lorenzo and Bolante were rumored to have left for the United States hours before the Senate investigation on the fund scam began.

Senators critical of the Arroyo administration said that, like Garcillano’s disappearing act, Lorenzo and Bolante’s flight shows that the President has something to hide and is afraid to face the inquiries against her and her officials. — Aurea Calica