Security for Garci in place; GMA allies reject immunity

Police led by a senior officer will fetch former election official Virgilio Garcillano from an undisclosed location in Mindanao tomorrow to escort him to the congressional inquiry on the electoral fraud allegations against President Arroyo scheduled for Wednesday.

Sorsogon Rep. Jose Solis disclosed that a security arrangement for Garcillano is in place.

Garcillano assured that he will finally show up at the joint inquiry of the House of Representatives being conducted by five committees to air his side of the electoral fraud allegations in which he allegedly conspired.

"If he refuses we will enforce the warrant of arrest. We know where to find him," Solis told a press forum. He refused to give Garcillano’s location.

Solis chairs the House committee on national defense, one of five committees conducting the inquiry.

The police will be headed by a chief superintendent and accompanied by the House’ sergeant-at-arms, which failed to locate Garcillano when the legislature ordered his arrest for repeatedly snubbing the inquiry.

Garcillano said he is willing to emerge from hiding to talk on the electoral fraud allegations against Mrs. Arroyo but is afraid of possible threats to his life.

Philippine National Police chief Arturo Lomibao has ordered Chief Superintendent Edgardo Doromal, head of the Police Security and Protection Office, to provide security for Garcillano.

Doromal said the police team is ready to secure Garcillano together with the House sergeant-at-arms.

"And we assure the safety and security of commissioner Garcillano and his wife before and during his scheduled appearance before the joint committees of Congress on Dec. 7," said Doromal.

Mrs. Arroyo’s allies in the House have rejected suggestions that Garcillano be given immunity so he would tell the truth behind allegations of cheating in the May 2004 presidential election.

Representatives Douglas Cagas of Davao del Sur and Federico Sandoval II of Malabon-Navotas said they believe that Garcillano would tell the truth when he appears before five House committees on Wednesday.

"Besides, lawmakers are discerning enough to know if Garci is pulling their leg in the course of questioning him. We would know if he is lying," they said.

They added that the people would be able to judge whether the former commissioner is "honest or not" when he testifies and is cross-examined by lawmakers.

Cagas and Sandoval were reacting to a proposal of Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago that congressional committees should give immunity from criminal prosecution to Garcillano so that he would reveal all he knows on alleged vote-rigging during last year’s election.

In separate interviews with journalists that his handlers arranged, the former election official claimed to have spoken with several administration and opposition candidates during the vote count.

Santiago expressed doubts that the politicians who called Garcillano merely intended to "protect their votes." She said the candidates wanted their votes padded.

Both administration and opposition lawmakers have been urging Garcillano to shed light on the six-month controversy.

Yesterday, Ilocos Norte Rep. Imee Marcos added her voice to the collective appeal for Garcillano to come forward.

"The country will never be at peace if there would be no closure to the ‘Hello, Garci’ scandal. We will never move forward if the truth is not made known to everyone," she said.

Marcos, however, expressed doubts about whether her House colleagues could ferret out the truth since "President Arroyo controls the lower House."

She urged Garcillano to appear before the Senate, which is holding its own hearing on Thursday.

"The Senate is more circumspect and fair-minded, and they will definitely dissect the issues surrounding the ‘Garci’ scandal," she said.

The opposition released audiotapes in June allegedly revealing former election official Garcillano and a woman who sounds like Mrs. Arroyo conspiring to rig the elections.

Mrs. Arroyo apologized for her "lapse in judgment" in speaking to an unnamed election official before the votes were tallied but has denied cheating to win the May 2004 polls. She did not identify the official.

She described her actions as a clumsy bid to protect her slim margin amid a slow vote count.

Her qualified apology sparked the resignations of key Cabinet members in July and a number of key allies including ex-President Corazon Aquino and Senate President Franklin Drilon. Some business leaders urged her to step down.

In September, Mrs. Arroyo’s allies in the House quashed an impeachment complaint against her on charges of vote-rigging.

That led to a protracted battle with the opposition.

Last week, Garcillano emerged from hiding and gave media interviews denying there was any cheating in the elections, saying he would eventually reveal all.

Opposition legislators have charged that Garcillano’s coming out in the open is part of a scheme by Mrs. Arroyo to discredit the opposition and dispel the controversy over the legitimacy of her presidency. — With Jess Diaz