WIRETAPPING FIASCO
Police and military execs must explain their roles

First posted 09:47pm (Mla time) July 01, 2005
By Maila Ager
INQ7.net

POLICE and military officials cited in the controversial audio recording must explain their roles in the last presidential election, a pro-administration lawmaker who turned his back at Malacañang over the tape fiasco said Friday.
Parañaque Representative Roilo Golez specifically mentioned Police chief Director General Arturo Lomibao and incoming Philippine Army chief Major General Hermogenes Esperon for allegedly participating in poll fraud last year.

"Those active AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] and PNP [Philippine National Police] generals mentioned in the 'Garci tapes' must clarify their roles during the 2004 election period," Golez said.

"One of the modus operandi in electoral fraud revealed in the tapes is the participation of the military and the PNP," he said.

The former presidential security adviser said Lomibao and Esperon hold sensitive posts that must not be tainted by suspicion that they played a part in the alleged vote fraud.

in the wiretapping probe in aid of legislation also agreed to invite President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, former election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, and former Senator Robert Barbers. Their names were also mentioned in the recording.

Garcillano is widely believed to be the "Garci" who figured in several phone conversations with Arroyo at the height of presidential vote canvassing in 2004.

Golez bolted out of the administration-backed coalition and resigned from his post as chairman of the committee on national defense after Arroyo admitted it was her voice on the tape.

In a nationwide address on Monday, Arroyo apologized for phoning an elections official at the height of vote counting, saying it was a "lapse in judgment."

But the distraught President denied she attempted to affect the outcome of the polls.