Redemption issue irrelevant - Garci

CAGAYAN DE ORO City, Philippines – There will be no redemption songs for former election official Virgilio Garcillano, his camp said yesterday, stressing that Malacañang’s statement that “he blew his chance” to come clean on past electoral fraud was immaterial and irrelevant.

Lawyer Eddie Tamondong told The STAR in a phone interview that Malacañang’s reaction to his client’s pronouncements is no longer their problem because Garcillano had already said his piece.

Tamondong insisted that the former Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner did not send any feelers to the government and was telling the truth in a press conference over the weekend.

“They refuse to accept the truth because they were unmasked that they were lying. The question is, did my client go to them? What for? Garcillano has no business and will not benefit at all in sending feelers to Secretary Llamas,” Tamondong said.

The lawyer was referring to Political Affairs Secretary Ronald Llamas, who said Garcillano had “a chance at redemption but blew it.”

Tamondong said his client was not facing any charges and did not need to send feelers.

He said it could be Llamas who was lying and not Garcillano, whom the political affairs chief had described as having “a masteral (degree) in lying.”

Tamondong maintained that Garcillano had already said everything about alleged cheating in the 2004 presidential elections in separate Senate and congressional hearings.The Supreme Court has also ruled on the case, and Congress therefore can no longer call for an investigation on the matter.

He said his client is ready to help the Aquino administration and what is needed is honest electoral reforms and education of Filipino voters.

During the press conference in Bukidnon Saturday, Garcillano appealed to the media and said he has nothing against the present administration. He said the problem is that the people have always complained about electoral cheating and fraud but nothing is being done to address the situation.

Aside from denying that he orchestrated the 2004 poll fraud, Garcillano said he was not hiding from authorities but only evading interviews to avoid controversies by preempting anything that would go beyond what he knows. He said it was Malacañang that has been chasing him.

Garcillano also revealed that a certain Maj. Jason Aquino and Jasper Zuniga have introduced themselves to him as coming from the office of Llamas and later on became his textmates.

Quoting a text message allegedly sent to him, he said he was told “to rethink (his) position” because a certain “Enrique Razon was already ready to cooperate.” 

He, however, said did not know the “Enrique Razon” being referred to. He said he hasn’t even met the businessman, if in case he was the one being alluded to.

Another text message allegedly sent to him by certain Major Aquino states that “the defining moment is now, we might be overtaken by events. The secretary is waiting for your call.”

Through all these, the Comelec still expressed confidence that Garcillano would eventually participate in the investigation into alleged vote rigging in the 2004 elections.

“Whether as a witness or as a respondent, he will be forced to face the case or even just issue an affidavit or counter-affidavit,” Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes said. “Regardless of which (refusal), we will still hear something from him.”

Brillantes said Garcillano would have to issue an affidavit if and when the joint probe of the Comelec and the Department of Justice (DOJ) finds it necessary during the course of investigation.

He noted that a counter-affidavit will become necessary in the event that the investigation gathers enough evidence to implicate him in a case. – Mayen Jaymalin