GMA says detractors resorting to ‘search and destroy’ tactics

President Arroyo lashed out at her detractors yesterday for resorting to "search and destroy" tactics in reviving the "Hello, Garci" controversy.

The President noted the Senate investigation into vote-rigging allegations in the 2004 presidential race comes at a time when the country is already experiencing an "integrated cycle of political stability, economic growth and social reform."

"It is unfortunate that there are those in the political arena who are still following the old track of search and destroy when the whole nation is already jumping onto the new track of unify and build," the President said.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the Senate’s move to resurrect the issue "is like flogging a dead horse to push its political agenda."

"Unfortunately, the flies are evident everywhere as the Senate has resorted to inviting as resource persons its own consultants who are expected to provide evidence that favors conclusions the senators have already reached even before the start of their investigation," Bunye said.

One of the witnesses at Monday’s Senate hearing on the "Hello, Garci" wiretapping scandal was Hermenegildo Estrella Jr., a management consultant who was initially commissioned by opposition Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. to conduct a study on the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) computerization system.

The President’s reaction to renewed claims of poll fraud came even as her lawyer Romulo Macalintal, who represents the President on election matters, said she would refrain from commenting further on the controversy.

Macalintal said the case was closed and nothing had so far been proven against Mrs. Arroyo.

Meanwhile, the man at the other end of the "Hello, Garci" controversy could spend the rest of his life in jail, a lawmaker said yesterday.

According to Cavite Rep. Gilbert Remulla, former Comelec commissioner Virgilio Garcillano "faces a maximum penalty of 45 years of imprisonment. Since he is now more than 60 years old, he (could) be spending the remainder of his life in prison."

In a complaint lodged with the Quezon City prosecutor’s office, Remulla and 15 other colleagues charged the former commissioner with two counts of violating the Philippine Passport Act, one count of falsifying a public document and 21 counts of perjury or lying under oath.

Similar charges were filed two weeks ago by opposition senators and congressmen.

Remulla said he believes they have an "airtight case" against Garcillano since there is prima facie evidence that he violated the passport law, falsified his passport and lied 21 times before the House.

He said they charged the former commissioner with two counts of violating the Passport Act for possessing a falsified passport and for using it to travel to Singapore. — Aurea Calica, Jess Diaz