Garci’s Singapore trip still baffles congressmen

Did former Election Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano travel to Singapore on July 14 last year as certified to by the Singaporean government, or did he not as he claimed?

This question still puzzles members of the House of Representatives, which investigated the "Hello, Garci" tape recording controversy and look for Garcillano for several months until he showed up before 2005 ended.

Garcillano’s travel to Singapore was again the subject of discussion during the House plenary debates on the 2006 budget of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) last Thursday.

It was Rep. Jesus Crispin Remulla of Cavite, who belongs to the majority bloc, who raised the issue.

Remulla asked Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, appropriations committee chairman who was defending the DFA budget, if there was any way the DFA could establish whether Garcillano indeed traveled to Singapore or not.

He recalled that according to a note verbale sent by the Singaporean embassy to the DFA, the former election commissioner flew to Singapore on July 14, a few days after the scandal about his alleged taped recorded conversations with a female caller who sounded like President Arroyo erupted.

However, he said the passport that Garcillano submitted to the five House committees that conducted the "Hello, Garci" inquiry showed that the latter did not travel since the document was issued on Feb. 11, 2002.

He said even the Department of Justice (DOJ), which looked into Garcillano’s trip, had concluded that he indeed went to Singapore.

In fact, the DOJ had identified the plane that transported the former commissioner and the customs and airport personnel who cleared him and who are supposed to be under investigation, he added.

Remulla then pressed Salceda for a clarification from the DFA.

After consulting with DFA Secretary Alberto Romulo, Salceda responded, "I guess the best evidence would be the passport."

Was it possible that Garcillano used a second passport or another person flew to Singapore using his name? Remulla asked.

"If you are talking of possibilities, that’s possible," Salceda answered.

Remulla inquired how many passports the DFA had issued under the name Virgilio O. Garcillano.

"Only one," Salceda said after a brief huddle with Romulo.

They were back again to square one.

Responding to another question, Salceda said he had no reason to doubt the note verbale of the Singaporean embassy, adding that such document is the principal means of formal communication between two governments.

In an apparent attempt to clear up the confusion of his colleagues, Ilocos Norte Rep. Roque Ablan suggested that the DFA should seek the disembarkation card of the passenger named Virgilio O. Garcillano who arrived in Singapore on July 14.

But wasn’t the note verbale based on the arrival card and other evidence showing that Garcillano indeed arrived in Singapore? Remulla asked.

Besides, he said the five committees had requested the DFA to seek the arrival card but that the panels have so far received no answer from the department.

To cut the discussions short, Salceda asked Romulo to request for Garcillano’s disembarkation card from Singapore together with any video footage showing his arrival or departure from the state’s airport or security personnel. — Jess Diaz