Comelec denies 'Garci 2' tape

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has denied that one of its commissioners was caught in an alleged taped conversation with a Cabinet secretary discussing poll fraud operations that has been circulating on the Internet.

Comelec Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer, who had allegedly been identified as the one on the tape, immediately denied that such a conversation took place between him and Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno.

“My attention was called that there is such a taped conversation on the Internet... ever since I was born, I have not communicated with this fellow. I heard the conversation on a website, definitely it was not me,” Ferrer told The STAR.

Puno’s spokeman Brian Yamsuan also denied that it was Puno’s voice on the tape.

“Malayong malayo sa boses niya (It sounds nothing like his voice),” Yamsuan told The STAR in a phone interview.

Ferrer noted the taped conversation supposedly discussed the possibility of manipulating the May 10 elections, and suggested it was quite similar to the “Hello, Garci” wiretapped recording scandal of 2004.

The Garci tapes detailed the supposed telephone conversations between President Arroyo and former election official Virgilio “Garci” Garcillano, allegedly discussing the election operations in Mindanao during the 2004 presidential race.

Mrs. Arroyo later apologized for making the call but denied it was for operations to rig the election results in Mindanao.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. claimed he had a copy of the taped conversation on a compact disc.

Pimentel told a news forum yesterday that the CD detailed the supposed conversation between a Comelec official and a Cabinet member on a “special operation” regarding the recently concluded elections.

Pimentel did not give details or identify the officials involved in the plot.

“The shadow of the Garci tapes has resurfaced,” he said.

Ferrer said he is not in any position to directly influence the outcome of the elections since Comelec Chairman Jose Melo has not even assigned him any committee to handle during the conduct of the May 10 elections.

“So how could I get to rig the election?” Ferrer asked.

“Because of my age, my knowledge in computer is very limited. All I know is how to type our resolutions. If they want someone (to rig the election), then it would not be me. I’m just in the background,” he added.

When asked if the issue is part of efforts to discredit the 2010 automated polls, Ferrer refused to comment further.

“I don’t know. I belong to a (Comelec) division that has been criticized for some of our decisions. If it has something to do with that, I also don’t know,” he said.

Ferrer is the presiding commissioner of the Comelec’s Second Division that handled controversial cases including the disqualification of party-list group Ang Ladlad, and the electoral protests against Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio and Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca.

Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento, for his part, suggested that the circulation of the taped conversation and the appearance of whistle-blower “Koala Boy” could be part of grand design to discredit the elections and the Comelec.

Sarmiento said he was convinced that the voice in the supposed taped conversation was not Ferrer’s.

“Maybe there are some people who wanted to take the victory away from the next president,” he said.

Ferrer appealed to critics and those behind the supposed taped conversation to stop dragging his name into the controversy.

“My children in New York have learned about this and they are so worried. Before joining the Comelec, I was in the judiciary - in regional trial courts and the Sandiganbayan and I retired with a clean slate.” 

Ferrer said he is retiring from the Comelec in February next year. “And I don’t want my name tainted,” he said. - With Mike Frialde and Perseus Echeminada