Jarque's Story

Why I left the military
by Rene Jarque
USMA West Point Class 1986

Many people ask me why I left the military service for the civilian world. Quite often, I reply "Why not?" in a dismissive tone to avoid a long and impassioned explanation. After three years out of uniform, I think I now have a better perspective to be able to answer the question with more certainty and fervidness.
What drove me to end what some say was a promising military career?
Let me emphasize that the decision to resign was mine alone and says nothing of the profession of arms, which I will always hold in the highest esteem, or about the men and women still in the service. Being a soldier is, I believe, one of the noblest professions, and I am privileged to have been one. However, we all have our lives to live, and mine just turned to a different path.
Many think my resignation was due to pressure from senior officers. Rightly so, as my career was certainly not a dull one. I had my share of combat as a Scout Ranger; had been under arrest for involvement in a coup attempt; represented the government in international conferences; was a studious lecturer and editor of several publications. And I was the son of a general turned communist rebel.
As a young officer, I used the power of the pen to question things that were not right in the Armed Forces of the Philippines--incompetence, corruption, lack of strategic direction, and unprofessionalism. My writings were a voice in the wilderness, but the criticisms earned me a reputation as a rebel officer--too honest and too frank for my own good. I really thought reforms could be achieved through intellectual honesty and awareness.
Nonetheless, I was not coerced to resign because of my critical commentaries. Neither did the situation of my father, General Raymundo Jarque, drive me into it. It was not an impulsive decision but a slow process of maturation and discernment. I realized that the prevailing environment in the AFP was no longer acceptable to my sense of duty and honor, that there was more to life than being a soldier in serving the country and people. To fulfill that, I needed to live outside of the uniform.
My last assignment was as special assistant to the secretary of national defense, to whom I gave my resignation letter. The following excerpts show the mix of hope and frustration over why I left:
"Sir: I have decided to leave the military service. After 16 years as a soldier, I feel that it is time to change course and seek greater challenges and opportunitiesto seek greener pastures.
I feel that the military is already too constrictingand no longer offers the kind of professional growth that I envision. Becoming a general is no longer an exciting prospect for me considering the kind of officers being promoted to general rank. As many officers say, 'snappy, shabby, the same salary at napo-promote din naman'
"I have always believed that being an officer is a noble vocation, but what I have seen are officers who take advantage of the system for selfish and unethical purposes and undercut each other for promotion and assignments. I always thought that being an officer is a public trust--that an officer does not lie, cheat, steal or tolerate those who do. But what I have seen are officers who would not hesitate to lie to advance themselves and cheat the taxpayers of their money.
"I believe in performance and accountability. I believe in competence and moral courage. I believe in honesty and hard work. I believe in transparency and candor. I have found these rare in the Armed Forces and I would like to seek them somewhere else."
Looking back, despite all the hardships and frustrations, I believe it was all worth it. I learned a great deal as a soldier. From the negatives, ironically I learned the positives. From the dishonesty of some officers, I came to appreciate the virtue of honesty. From the corruption I saw, I learned about principles and moral courage; from the hardships in training, about teamwork and strength of purpose; from defeat in battle, humility; from suffering and death, about compassion and mortality.
From the positives, I learned to grow. From honest and motivated soldiers, I learned about leadership; from my fellow officers, about camaraderie and friendship; from the little things I had, about simplicity and frugality. Above all, from being a cadet and a soldier, I learned about duty, honor, and country.
The greatest gift military service gave me was character. Two other important lessons were leadership and the spirit of service. Now that I am a civilian, I value these lessons and they serve as beacons in my new career. They guide me in finding my path down the future. What I miss is the spirit of service, that feeling that whatever you do is something noble and for the greater good.
Today, I sometimes miss wearing the uniform. I miss the soldierly camaraderie, that fellowship which made me feel I belonged to something. I turn to my experiences as a platoon leader and company commander in dealing with corporate leadership and management issues. At times, I long for the simple yet noble life of a soldier.
As the saying goes, "Once a soldier, always a soldier."

(Reprinted from Newsbreak)

Arangkada for June 23, 2005

 

       PAUGAT SA NAMFREL

 

Inanayng nituyhakaw pagbalik ang mga ebidensiya sa pagpanikas sa Mayo 10 sa niaging tuig. Nga, kon di pa tungod sa kontrobersiyal nga audio recording sa giingong panag-istorya nilang Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ug kanhi Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, motimpasaw na lang unta sa linaw dayong katunaw.

Kay way ganahang motoo sa tiyabaw sa tikas sa pilderong mga kandidato. Nasemento nang atong pagtoo nga tungod sa kahugaw sa sistema sa politika ining nasura—nga ang tanang kandidato gipasanginlang pulos nakalapas sa mga lagda sa Comelec—way bisan usang mapilde, ang di modaog segurong gitikasan. Pero mausab ning atong panglantaw kon kadasonan sa mga dokumento ug ubang klarong ebidensiya ang recording.

Kon mahitabo, ang tulo ka oras nga recording mahimong tinuod nga "smoking gun" batok sa administrasyong Arroyo.

-o0o-

Gawas sa Malakanyang, Comelec, AFP, PNP ug ubang ahensiya sa gobyerno nga naapiki sa recording, naduhig sab sa eskandalo ang pribadong tigbantay sa eleksiyon, ang National Citizens Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel). Labi na nga nagpaugat ang nasudnong liderato sa Namfrel pagsalikway sa mga ebidensiya nga gipresentar sa ilang mga representante sa Lanao del Sur sa gihulagway sa labing grabeng kaso sa "dagdag-bawas" sa tibuok nasud.

Giisnab ni Namfrel Secretary General Guillermo Luz ang mga dokumento nga gipresentar gahapon ni Namfrel Provincial Chairman Hadji Abdullah Dalidig sa Lanao del Sur nga nag-detalye pila ka boto ang gi-"dagdag" parang Presidente Arroyo sa mosunod nga mga lungsod:

• Balindong: 3,434;
• Marantao: 5,417;
• Saguiran: 5,523;
• Taraka: 3,952; ug
• Wao: 3,577.

Ang mga dokumento ni Dalidig nidason sa pangangkon sa

oposisyon sa mas dakong "dagdag-bawas" sa lima ka probinsiya ug 20 ka lungsod sa Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) nga niresulta sa pag-"dagdag" og 76,455 ka boto parang Presidente Arroyo ug pag-"bawas" og 41,313 botos gikan ni Fernando Poe Jr.

-o0o-

Niinsistir si Luz nga kon duna may tikas sa Lanao del Sur, di ni lapad ug wa makaapektar sa kinatibuk-ang resulta sa eleksiyon. Naneguro si Luz sa kamakiangayon sa ilang baruganan bisan kon 38% ra sa election returns sa Lanao del Sur ang ilang na-iskutenyo. Ambot duna pa bay motoo sa Namfrel sa umaabot nga mga eleksiyon karong gipagawas nang Dalidig ang iyang mga dokumento.

Usa sa mga anomaliya sa eleksiyon sa Lanao del Sur nga wa mabantayi sa Namfrel mao nga mas daghan ang mga boto sa party list groups kon ikumparar sa tanang botante nga nitunga sa mga presinto. Segun sa PCIJ, 100.3% sa mga botante ang nibotar sa 20 ka party list groups. Ambot nganong nipili ang nasudnong liderato sa Namfrel pagdupa sa kaligdong sa niaging eleksiyon atubangan ning klarong mga ebidensiya sa tikas. [30]  leo_lastimosa@abs-cbn.com

Gloria's "Areas of Concern"

Posted by Yvonne Chua, PCIJ

 

IF the controversial recordings are authentic and unaltered, President Arroyo's chief worry when she was placing all those telephone calls to Elections Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano in late May to mid-June of 2004 was the canvassing in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Cotabato City and all the provinces that make up ARMM—Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao—were at the core of the conversations between the President and Garcillano. 

The talks dwelled on her "40-plus" loss in Cotabato, Sen. Rodolfo Biazon's threat to have the ballot boxes in Tawi-Tawi opened if he were cheated, as well as reports that the political opposition was about to present witnesses on the cheating that supposedly occurred in Basilan and Sulu.

In Congress's final tally, Arroyo won over Fernando Poe Jr. in ARMM, 558,454 to 302,132. She lost only in Tawi-Tawi and Cotabato City. In the June 30, 2004 terminal report of Namfrel, which had tabulated election returns from 82.89 percent of precincts nationwide, Poe was leading Arroyo, 228,567 to 161,067. Arroyo led Poe only in the Maguindanao count, 76,695 to 38,340.

Following the national canvassing, the opposition in its own report said cheating took place in all the five provinces of the ARMM, listing 20 towns where, it claimed, the President's votes were padded by 76,455 and Poe's shaved by 41,313.

Interestingly, the Comelec national office decided to pull out its regional director for ARMM, Helen Flores, just four days before the May 10, 2004 elections and replaced her with the assistant regional director, Renato Magbutay.

A Comelec official in Mindanao said the last-minute change of assignment took Flores and election personnel by surprise. Flores, who was transferred to Western Mindanao (Region 9), was said to be close to Garcillano, as well as to Commissioner Manuel Barcelona, who was the commissioner in charge of the ARMM in the May 2004 elections.

Garcillano and Flores both served in the task force that supervised the special registration in Sulu in 1995. Despite the closeness, Flores was perceived to be "hardheaded" and "di nila mapasunod (they can't make her follow)," the source said.

Magbutay, meanwhile, worked for Garcillano when the latter was the provincial election supervisor of Misamis Occidental, and is described as a "Garcillano protégé."

Although Garcillano was assigned to Southern Tagalog (Region 4) in last year's elections, the calls he made or received clearly indicated he was "supervising" the elections in ARMM. Garcillano had spent most of his 43-year career with the Comelec in Mindanao. He was the commission's director for Region 10 (Northern Mindanao) before the President appointed him and Barcelona elections commissioners in February 2004.

BASILAN

The President's initial concern about Basilan was the reported mismatch between the statement of votes (SOVs) and certificates of canvass (COCs) in the province, as well as in Lanao del Sur (For the Lanao del Sur vote, click here). Garcillano assured her in their June 2, 2004 conversation that "yung ginawa nilang magpataas sa inyo, maayos naman ang paggawa eh (The upward adjustment they did for you was all right)."

The elections commissioner said, however, the problem lay with the military in Basilan. "Hindi masyadong marunong kasi silang gumawa eh. Katulad ho dun sa Sulu, si General Habacon (They don't know what to do, like in Sulu with General Habacon)." He was referring to Maj. Gen. Gabriel Habacon, commanding general of the Army's 1st Infantry Division, whose area of operation covers Basilan, Sulu and the Zamboanga peninsula.

But it was Tipo-Tipo town's election officer, Rashma Hali, who got the President really worried. In two phone calls to Garcillano on June 7, she asked about the whereabouts of Hali, who the opposition said had voluntarily made an affidavit on June 4 before a Makati prosecutor on the poll fraud allegedly perpetrated in the town. Garcillano told the President, "That's what I'm being fearful about. That's why we're asking people to look for her so that we can control her."

The congressional tally shows Arroyo winning 79,092 over Poe's 48,685, even as the Namfrel counted 12,162 votes for the President and 43,821 for her opponent. The opposition alleged "dagdag-bawas " took place in Tipo-Tipo and Sumisip towns, which resulted in Arroyo's votes being padded by 20,060 and Poe's shaved by 16,731. In Tipo-Tipo, the opposition estimated the dagdag at 8,843 and the bawas at 7,495.

On June 5, two days earlier, Garcillano had been burning the lines with a certain Boy trying to locate Hali. A former Comelec personnel has identified Boy's voice as that of Renault "Boy" Macarambon, a Comelec lawyer detailed at the time to Garcillano's office and whom the elections commissioner was said to have sent to the ARMM areas to help him monitor the elections. Macarambon is mentioned in another conversation as having been sent by Garcillano to Lanao del Sur to check the canvassing there.

[Macarambon is still detailed at Garcillano's office. PCIJ called him there three times yesterday, June 21, and was repeatedly told that he was out. When PCIJ called today, we were told he was absent.  His officemates refused to give his cellphone and home numbers.]

Boy reported that Hali appeared to be in Manila and that he had already sought the help of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces or ISAFP to locate her. He informed Garcillano that Hali had done some work for them, " pero limpio ang trabaho nila (but they did a clean job)." Boy then suggested the kidnapping of Hali's family to prevent her from talking. He was advised, however, to first apply the "soft touch" on the family.

In a lengthy conversation with Garcillano on June 7, the same day Arroyo called about Hali, a certain Ruben expressed concern over the supposed evidence of vote padding done for Arroyo in Tipo-Tipo that opposition lawyer Rufus Rodriguez had presented. " Di ba ang gagamiting mag-tetestify siguro iyong against the President regarding the bawas-dagdag na ginawa dun sa ano (Wouldn't they testify against the President regarding the vote-padding and shaving that was done there)?" said Ruben.

Garcillano said that Hali, if she were to testify, could bring no damage to the President but could hurt Wahab Akbar, a gubernatorial candidate in Tawi-Tawi who the commissioner described as first having supported Poe then later switched sides when it appeared that the action star would lose. "She (Hali) has not done anything except kay (for) Wahab Akbar," he said, and suggested that the President should instead advise Akbar to ask his men to go after Hali's family.

The commissioner noted, however, that the situation was turning serious. "Nandun si Lomibao…may isang colonel na nandun (Lomibao and a colonel are there)," he said, referring to Gen. Arturo Lomibao, now Philippine National Police chief.

"Basta't we'll ask somebody to look for her and then get her family," he said when further informed by Ruben that Hali was in Parañaque.

Weeks later, the PNP charged Rodriguez and fellow opposition lawyer Harriet Demetriou with serious illegal detention, saying they had kidnapped Hali.

The conversation between Garcillano and Ruben reveals problems in several municipal canvasses, as the commissioner is heard saying that he wanted these cleaned up. "Kaya kung maaari papupuntahin ko dito yung supervisor, patago ko rin dito sa kin (If it's possible, I'd make the supervisor come here and hide him)," he said.

Wilfredo Daraug was the provincial election supervisor of Basilan, while Borromeo Patangan chaired the provincial board of canvassers in last year's elections.

SULU

The canvassing in Sulu was the main reason behind the President's calls to Garcillano on May 27 and 29 and on June 2.

The first was to inquire if the election returns from Sulu were complete and corresponded to what could either be the COCs or SOVs. Garcillano replied, "Oo ma'am. Lahat ho meron, hindi po naming ika -count kung (Yes, ma'am. We would count them if)…"

The two other conversations zeroed in on the island province's Pangutaran town. Arroyo beat Poe, 78,429 to 60,807, in the congressional count for Sulu. The opposition, however, said cheating in three towns—Pangutaran, Talipao and Patikul—jacked up the President's votes by 17,289 votes and cut Poe's by 13,199. In Pangutaran, the dagdag was 8,000 votes and the bawas was 2,000, it said.

In her May 29 call, Arroyo referred to the opposition's claim that it had affidavits from teachers and the board of canvassers in Pangutaran of how they were made to cheat.  Garcillano again blamed General Habacon: " Kasi sila Gen. Habacon ba, hindi masyadong marunong pa dyan, medyo sila ang umano nun (It's General Habacon, they don't know that much)."

On June 2, Garcillano reported to the President that he had talked to the chairman of Sulu's board of canvassers. "Patataguin ko muna ang EO ng Pangutaran na para hindi sila makatestigo ho (I will ask the Panguntaran election officer to go into hiding so he wouldn't be able to testify)," he said.

During the elections, Pangutaran's election officer was Cipriano Ebron, the brother-in-law of provincial election supervisor Reynaldo Pescadera, previously the election officer of the capital Jolo and who addresses Garcillano as "Brod." Jocelyn de Mesa, a lawyer from Comelec's head office, chaired the provincial board of canvassers.

In his June 7 conversation between Garcillano and Ruben, Ebron's name came up. Ruben said opposition lawyer Rufus Rodriguez might present Pangutaran's election officer to testify on the cheating. But he added that the military had already talked to Ebron.

Garcillano replied, "Di nila makukuha si Ebron…Akin yang tao nay an eh, taga-Batangas yan eh… Kaya kahit pakainin mo ng bala yun, di na magpapakita (They won't get Ebron. He's my man; he's from Batangas. Even if you fed him bullets, he wouldn't show up)." He also asked Ruben to tell the military, which apparently had slapped Ebron, not to meddle.

MAGUINDANAO

Besides Lanao del Sur, the President posted one of her biggest winning margins in the congressional count for Maguindanao, garnering 193,938 votes against Poe's 59,892.

In their June 6 conversation, the President is heard seeking Garcillano's assurance that the documents in Maguindanao were consistent. "Hindi naman ho masyadong problema sa Maguindanao (Maguindanao isn't much of a problem)," the commissioner said.

The conversation then turned to the President's SMS message to Garcillano about the fake precincts in the province, of which the commissioner was suspected to be the mastermind. "Siguro ano, shot in the dark lang yun, but I'm just letting you know everything I find out para we can always make the appropriate remedies," she said. Garcillano informed Arroyo that he would have "all the people around us talk to" General Lomibao, who was then in Zambonga, "so that they will be able to prevent who is going to work."

Based on the minority report, the outcomes in eight towns in Maguindao were highly dubious. Poe scored zero in Ampatuan and Datu Piang, and got as little as five to 174 votes in Sheriff Aguak, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Mamasapano, Datu Unsay, Datu Abdullah Sanki and Talayan.

In their talk four days later, Arroyo expressed concern over the local canvassing in South Upi town, where the Comelec had proclaimed different winners. Asked by Garcillano which candidate she was supporting, the President replied, " Ay, naku. Ang importante, hindi madamay yung sa taas (The important thing is we don't get affected at the top)," The commissioner assured the President, "Hindi ho, ako ang may hawak nun (No, I have control there)."

It was not only the count in South Upi that was knotty. Problems also cropped up in Talitay town. 

In the June 6 conversation between Garcillano and Wynne Asdala, a Comelec lawyer sent by the national office to serve as provincial election supervisor of Maguindanao during the elections, the latter said Teng Mangudadatu (apparently referring to Sultan Kudarat Suharto Tan "Teng" Mangungudatu)  wanted to help K4 senatorial candidate Robert Barbers. " Itong Talitay tsaka Columbio (a town in Sultan Kudarat), gusto nilang magsubmit ng bagong COC at tsaka SOV para mahabol yung si Barbers (They want to submit new COCs and SOVs in Talitay and Columbio so Barbers can catch up)," the supervisor said. 

[PCIJ called the Comelec law department, where Asdala holds office, three times yesterday, and was told  he was out of the office. We got the same reply when we called the law department today.  His office also refused to give his cellphone and home numbers.]

Asdala said he informed Mangudadatu he didn't see any problem with Garcillano, but with Comelec Commissioner Resurrecion Borra. "Iba kasi si Borra, walang isip itong kwan nya, baka imbes na kwan baka ipitin pa ako (Borra is different, he doesn't think of this thing; I might get into trouble)."

Garcillano advised Asdala against proceeding, saying it was too late anyway and "baka masira ka (you might be ruined)."

Despite this, Asdala was to call Garcillano two days later, this time to say the group of a certain Pax (Mangudadatu's father is Sultan Kudarat Gov. Pax Mangudadatu)  was insisting that he (Asdala) help Barbers in Talitay. " Kako depende sa komisyon (I said it depends on the commission)," he added.

Again, Garcillano replied, "Useless na rin eh, papaano n'yo gagawin yun (It's useless, what can you do)?"

[PCIJ called Governor Mangudadatu's office in Sultan Kudarat yesterday. A male staff said he was in Malaysia and would not give the governor's cellphone number.  PCIJ also got in touch with the governor's daughter, who likewise said she didn't have his number.]

[PCIJ called Congressman Mangudadatu's home last night and was asked to call his office today. When we called today, his staff said he was out of town and refused to give his cellphone number.] 

Later that day, Garcillano and an unidentified man are heard discussing that Barbers, in an annulment case he filed against the proclamation of Sen. Rodolfo Barbers, was claiming he still had 7,000 votes canvassed in South Upi, 6,000 in Talitay and 4,000 in Columbio.

"Hindi yata nakasama (It seems the votes were not included)," Garcillano said.

"Patay kang bata ka. Hindi napasama? Eh papano to? Eh di talagang yari tayo rito (We're dead. They weren't included? So what happens now? We're really in hot water)," the man said.

In a phone call with an unidentified woman on June 16, Garcillano was informed that Asdala was convening the canvassing. The commissioner said he would ask Teng Mangudadatu to call him up and find out their moves,  " para ma-orderan ko si Asdala (so I can issue the order to Asdala)."

TAWI-TAWI

The President called Garcillano twice—on May 26 and June 2—to take up the reported cheating in Tawi-Tawi. In the first conversation, she relayed Biazon's threat to have the ballot boxes in Tawi-tawi opened if he were cheated. " Eh baka raw ako ang madale doon (It might affect me)," she said. Garcillano replied, "Baka nga ho (It might)."

In the second conversation, Arroyo is heard asking the elections commissioner about a teacher from Languyan town supposedly in the opposition's "Witness Protection Program." Garcillano assured her there was none and the opposition was just making an empty threat.

Still, the elections commissioner saw it fit to convey the President's concern over Languyan in his June 5 conversation with a certain Boy, identified by two Comelec sources as the voice of Renault Macarambon, the lawyer with whom he had discussed the problem in Tipo-Tipo. Garcillano told Boy that Generals Arturo Lomibao and Hermoegene Ebdane would be calling and he already advised Mike Abbas about the Languyan teacher.

Michael "Mike" Abbas, the former provincial election supervisor of Saranggani, was Tawi-Tawi's election supervisor.

In Congress's final tally, Arroyo lost to Poe, 33,634 to 49,803. Still, the opposition said cheating in two towns, Simunul and Sitangkai, gave Arroyo 5,624 more votes and reduced their candidate's by 3,796.

COTABATO

In addition to Tawi-Tawi, Arroyo also lost to Poe, who had 29,417 against her 8,510, in Cotabato City.  

In their May 29 conversation, Garcillano assured Arroyo she would not lose by more than 40,000 votes, saying he has already taken up the matter with a certain Atty. Bedol.

Atty. Lintang Bedol chaired the Cotabato City board of canvassers in the May 2004 polls and served as the provincial election supervisor in Sultan Kudarat.  Prior to the elections, he was Maguindanao's election supervisor.

Four days earlier, on May 25, the canvassing in Cotabato City and seven municipalities from Lanao del Sur was still going on. The conversation between Garcillano and an unidientified man on that day centered on getting the maximum in Cotabato and extra votes in Lanao del Sur.

On May 26, the elections commissioner was on the phone with a "Len," said to be his secretary Ellen Peralta, instructing her to remind someone to bring the "SOV 15 to 18 sheets" from Cotabato.

Meanwhile, Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos, on the petition of the opposition mayoral candidate Estrellita Juliano, had ordered the transfer of the city's canvassing to Manila. 

It would turn out that the votes in Cotabato seemed to be of great interest not only to the President but also to Barbers. On May 29, the former senator called Garcillano to ask if it was true that there had been a Comelec resolution ordering the transfer of the canvassing to Manila.  At the time, Garcillano was still unaware of the directive from Abalos. But a subsequent check with Bedol showed a resolution had indeed been issued and Garcillano had not been asked to sign the resolution. He was placed on "official business."

Garcillano is heard telling a man named "Teng" on May 30 to delay the transfer of the Cotabato votes to Manila. "Sabihin mo dyan kung ma-delay niya, i-delay na (Tell them to delay the transfer if they can)," he said.

That same day, Garcillano called Noli, who Comelec sources identified as Manuel Barcelona, the commissioner in charge of the ARMM.  Noli quoted a certain Joey, believed to Arroyo's political adviser Joey Rufino, as saying the transfer of the canvassing had upset administration mayoral candidate Muslimin Sema. He said he had suggested to Joey to ask the President to call Abalos and have the resolution recalled. Noli also said he signed the resolution only because " akala ko order sa taas (I thought it was an order from the top)."

"Pero si presidente, kahapon pa, ayaw niya (But the President didn't want that)," Garcillano said.

On June 2, the elections commissioner got a call from "Mike," said to be First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, urging him to help Barbers.  Garcillano's response: "Pero mahihirapan na tayo, medyo nabuko tayo sa Lanao del Sur at hindi na makakahabol dito sa Cotabato (It will be difficult because we were found out in Lanao del Sur and we can no longer catch up in Cotabato)."

Party List Fraud?

Posted by Luz Rimban, PCIJ

 

THE Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao became a source of votes not just for president, but also for some party-list groups.

Hints that party-list votes were being manipulated appeared in the conversation between Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano and a certain Ruben on June 7, 2004, and the conversation between Garcillano and an unidentified man on June 14:

Conversation between Gary and an unidentified man on 14 07:45 hotel June '04

Gary: Hello.

Man: Padre. Kelan mag-ano yung sa party-list?

Gary: Ina-ano ko pa, wala pa kahit isa after the 23 na mapoproclaim. Ang mauna siguro tong     ALIF (?).  Pero gusto ko masabay-sabay. Kung may tatlo, apat, sabay-sabay na yan.

Man: Oo dapat ganun.

Gary: Pero pipilitin ko Padre.

As it turned out, ALIF (Ang Laban ng Indiginong Filipino), a first-time party-list group, garnered the most number of votes in ARMM based on the Comelec's Party List Canvass Report No. 20 at 176,034 votes, almost enough to guarantee it a seat in Congress. And from just four provinces.

What is ALIF and what's wrong with it? In a petition filed more than a year ago on May 26, 2004, the party-list group Partido ng Manggawa had already asked the Commisison on Elections to disqualify ALIF, among other party-list organizations.

The PM petition says:

 "The party-list ALIF must be disqualified for failure to comply with the seventh guideline of the Supreme Court (# 7: Not only the candidate party or organization must represent marginalized and underrepresented sectors; so also must its nominees). Its nominee, Acmad Tomawis, is a big businessman engaged in overseas contracts, particularly trucking services in Iraq; he is likewise the brother of Ambassador Jerry Tomawis who currently holds a post in a country in the Middle East. The nominee, ALIF, cannot be considered as marginalized and underrepresented."

Jerry Tomawis does not appear in the current roster of Ambassadors although he was once an assemblyman. The party-list nominee, Acmad Tomawis, though, was himself a former government official, having been executive director of the Office of Muslim Affairs. Acmad Tomawis now sits as a member of the House of Representative.

Another petition filed by the party-list group Citizens' Battle Against Corruption, on the other hand, pointed out discrepancies in the Certificates of Canvass (COCs) and Statement of Votes (SOV) in Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur and Tawi-tawi that the group said cast doubt on the votes these party-list groups garnered.

• In Lanao del Sur, the total number of votes for cast for the top 20 party-list groups was 100.3% of the total number of registered voters. In other words, there were more party-list voters than there were registered voters. 
• In Maguindanao, the total votes cast for party-list was placed at 283,012 out of a total of 334,331 registered voters, equvalent to a high turn out of 84.65%
•  In Tawi-tawi, the total number of votes for party-list was 76,334 out of 120,402 registered voters, or a turn out of 63.4%

Even before the May 2004 elections, survey groups had been predicting a low party-list turn out because Filipinos were still unfamiliar and unaware of the party-list system. This is why the CIBAC petition alleges that the 84% turnout in Maguindanao, and the 63% turnout in Tawi-tawi are statistically impossible. The Lanao del Sur turnout of 100.3%, the group says, is downright absurd.

How can the party-list groups in ARMM have such a huge following when in Quezon City, headquarters of some of the party-list groups like Akbayan and Bayan Muna, and focus of intense election propaganda, the turnout of party-list votes, according to the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform (IPER), was only 35%?

Arangkada for June 22, 2005

 

              KONTES SA TIKAS

 

Duna koy email nga nadawat gikan ni Ma. Melanio S. <

ma.ms@ibank.com.ph> nga nitubag sa mga pagduda nga nanikas si Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sa niaging eleksiyon base sa audio recording sa giingong panag-istorya nilang kanhi Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano:

"Leo, angay kalimtan ang isyu batok kang PGMA.  Ang paghatag gibug-aton niini magpakita lang sa atong kataphaw ug ka dili makadawat ug kapildihan.  Mao kini ang akong mga argomento:

"Sa unang pagkapili ni George W. Bush isip pangulo sa Estados Unidos, gilandungan kini sa dag-om sa pagduda nga gitikas niya (pinaagi sa iyang igsoon) ang eleksiyon.  Apan human siya naproklamar, gikalimtan sa kadaghanan ang mao nga isyu.  Hangtod karon pangulo si Bush ug hangtod karon wa nahuyang ang demokrasya ug ekonomiya sa Estados Unidos.

"Gisulong usab ni Bush ang Iraq ubos sa pasangil nga kini adunay mga weapons of mass destruction (wmd).  Misupak ang Santo Papa, Francia, hasta United Nations.  Paglabay sa panahon, namatud-an nga dili tinuod ang pasangil ni Bush.  Apan kinsa man ang nagkatawa karon?  Ang Estados Unidos.

"Samtang kita nagpadayon ug singgit nga manaog si Gloria.  Ang ato lang basihanan mao ang usa ka ibidinsya nga iligal, wa pa nasusi ang pagkatinuod, ug wala nagmatuod nga nanikas si Gloria.  Kini tungod kay kita'ng mga Pilipino dili makadawat ug kapildihan.  Kitang mga Pilipino ganahan kayo motuki sa taphaw nga mga butang.

"Sumala kato'ng salida nga Ang Unang Buwan.  Kapin sa bulan naglantugi ang mga tawo ngano'ng wa kini napili nga best picture.  Ngani, gikiha pa ni Caesar Montano ang mga tigpasi-ugda.  Apan nilambo ba ang industriya sa pamilikula?  Wala.

"Bisan sa basketbol, ganahan ta'ng moprotesta.  Ang labing reklamador ug nangulata sa mga referee atong giila nga "living legend".  Gipili pa nato nga senador.  Apan milambo ba ang basketbol sa Pilipinas?  Wala.  Hinunoa nikunhod pa.

"Magpadayon ba kita nga ingon niini?  Imbis mosyagit ta nga ilisan si Gloria, ngano'ng  di nato ilisan ang atong batasan sa pagkataphaw ug dili makadawat sa kapildihan?"

-o0o-

Daghang salamat sa imong email. Mao nay akong tan-aw sa mga nisiyagit og tikas sa niaging eleksiyon hangtod nga nakabati ko sa duha ka bersiyon sa audio recording nga unang gipagawas ni Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye. Ang kinatibuk-ang kalidad ug unod sa recording, nga gisundan sa wa magkadimaong reaksiyon sa Malakanyang, maoy nakapakumbinser nako nga direktang niapil si Presidente Arroyo pagmaniobra sa resulta sa eleksiyon.

Pasagdan ba lang natong iyang pagpanikas kay hugaw man gyong politika? Tuguting mangutana ko: Unsa may kapuslanan sa eleksiyon kon himoon lang ning kontes sa mga tikasan?

Mas importaneng pangutana: Unsaon mang Presidente Arroyo pagpangu sa nahibiling lima ka tuig sa iyang termino atubangan sa lapad nga pagduda nga kinawat ang iyang mandato? [30]

leo_lastimosa@abs-cbn.com

House Hearing Stalled

Unruly militants, Linggoy disrupt tape hearing
The first House hearing on the alleged wiretapped conversations of President Arroyo and an election official was disrupted Tuesday after militant youth leaders were caught distributing "Hello Garci" compact discs (CDs) at the session hall's gallery, ANC reported.
abs-cbnNEWS.com

 

•	In near death, Sin still wanted to serve flock

•	Unruly militants, Linggoy disrupt tape hearing
•	Cardinal Sin, People Power icon, dies
•	Pump price to hit P48/liter due to VAT
•	Bunye to tell all about tapes * Presyo ng langis tumaas * P2 dagdag pasahe tuloy na * Garcillano nasa bansa lang at handang lumantad • Fire hits Equitable-PCI building in Ortigas • Jeepney fare is now P2 higher, P1 in Cebu and the Visayas • Customs clears Aglipay nephew of gunrunning • Doble forgets details during reenactment • QC taps subdivisions for help vs drugs • Stocks down 50.62 pts, peso at 55.888:$ in mid-trade

Cardinal Sin, 76

Jaime Cardinal Sin, 76
Former Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin passed away Tuesday morning after a lingering illness, DZMM reported. He was 76.
abs-cbnNEWS.com

Cardinal Sin dead at 76

Philippines' Cardinal Sin dies at 76 MSNBC  ... his death early Tuesday. "Our call to all the faithful is to include in their prayers the soul of Cardinal Sin," Sescon said.

Cardinal Jaime Sin Dies at 76 Los Angeles Times, CA  MANILA, Philippines -- Cardinal Jaime Sin, the Roman Catholic cleric who helped lead revolts that ousted two Philippine presidents, died early Tuesday.

Philippines Cardinal Sin is dead BBC News, UK  Cardinal Sin played a key role in the Philippines' transition to democracy following the lengthy dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos.

Cardinal Jaime Sin Dies at 76 San Francisco Chronicle, CA  Cardinal Jaime Sin, the Roman Catholic cleric who helped lead revolts that ousted two Philippine presidents, died early Tuesday. He was 76.

ABS-CBN Headlines

Arroyo: I will talk at appropriate time

•	HK investors still upbeat on RP despite uproar
•	Produce Garci, Malacañan told
•	DND spent P.5M to feed the media
•	Local officials ask Senate for fair hearing on jueteng

Cotabato City Fraud Victim?

Posted by Alecks Pabico, PCIJ

YESTERDAY morning, at the tailend of the press conference called by various groups and political blocs to announce the holding of a nationwide rally on June 24 which they have declared as "National Day of Protest for Truth and Justice" (also to coincide with Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's proclamation as president by Congress a year ago), Estrellita Juliano, the "defeated" opposition, mayoralty candidate of Cotabato City made a public appearance.

Juliano, whose name was mentioned at least five times in the supposed taped conversations involving poll commissioner Virgilio Garcillano and Atty Lintang Bedol , says she has come forward to attest to the truthfulness of electoral fraud that happened in her city in the 2004 elections. Following is the transcript of her brief address:

Doon sa tape na narinig niyo na may pinag-uusapan si Commissioner Garcillano at si Atty. Bedol na "Juliano, Juliano," ako po yun.

Ako po ang mayoralty candidate ng Cotabato City na dinaya nilang dalawa. At kanina lang po may tumawag sa akin, aniya, "Neng bumili ka ng Malaya, yung pangalan mo, yung complete history ng case mo ay naroon." (Our "Vidol" who? post appears on the front page of Malaya's issue today.)  And then I received a call from (former) Congressman Digs Dilangalen to come here to attend and to inform everybody of what is the truth.

Records will show sa Commission on Appointments, I'm the only one who filed an opposition against the confirmation of Commissioner Garcillano and Commissioner Barcelona dahil nga po doon sa pandaraya sa akin na kumpleto po ako ng records.

Nandoon din po sa record, na I'm the only one who filed a case against Atty. Lintang Bedol na nandoon ngayon pending sa Ombudsman dahil nga sa pandaraya.

Halos walang naniniwala sa akin hangga't nakarating na ang aking kaso sa Supreme Court. Pero nang nabasa ko po at nakita at narinig ko yung tape, nandoon yung pinag-uusapan yung Juliano, na ang canvassing dapat noong June 2 last year, ginawa nilang June 1 para magawa nila lahat ng magustuhan nila. Absent po ako. At dinagdagan nila ng mga election return yung mga botohan doon sa Cotabato.

Noong una pa pong nangyari noong May, nagbibilangan pa po kami, yung unang board of canvassers chaired by Atty. Martirizar sa Cotabato, hinihingi namin na bago sana mag-umpisa yung counting from President down to the local candidates ay magkaroon ng inventory, bilangin muna.  Ayaw pong pabilang ng chair ng board of canvassers na si Atty. Martirizar.

Hanggang nag-petition kami and then may pinapasok silang pilit na tatlong ballot boxes na naiwan daw. Ang sabi niya, kumpleto na yung nasa loob ng board of canvasser. pero nang pangatlong araw na ayaw naming pumayag, nag-rally kami, kasama ko si (former) Congressman Digs Dilangalen dahil may pinapasok sialng tatlo, hindi pala totoo.

So nag-reqeust kami kay Chairman Abalos na kung pwede palitan yung board of canvassers. Sa kabaitan naman ay pumayag siyang palitan. Pumalit ay taga-Maynila headed by Atty. Surmieda. Si Atty. Surmieda naman ay nagkaroon ng canvassing, binilang niya lahat, kulang ng 54 election returns. Nang nagka-counting na kami, bigla hong umalis sila. may tawag daw sa Maynila na ayaw sabihin. At ang sabi kailangan bumalik ng Maynila. At ang kutob namin ang tumawag ay si Commissioner Garcillano. Basta't umalis nang walang paalam, so nabakante ng ilang araw.

Ang ginawa ko, humingi ako ng pakiusap na kung pwede ay dalhin na lang sa Maynila ang canvassing ng Cotabato City sapagkat puro pandaraya ang ginagawa sa amin doon. Pinagbigyan naman po kami sa Maynila. Ang masamang palad lang po ang na-appoint ay si Lintang Bedol, yung nasa tape na maraming sinasabi.

Nag-oppose ako na kung pwede huwag i-appoint si Bedol sapagkat doon sa Sultan Kudarat a week before, puro pandaraya na ang ginawa niya. Despite that, si Commissioner Garcillano pinilit pa rin si Lintang Bedol.

Doon po bago kami umalis, binigyan ako ng notice na June 2, 2004 ang canvassing. Pagdating sa Maynila, ginawa nilang June 1. Wala ho akong presence, wala akong abogado at dinagdagan pa nila yung mga election returns. Ginawa nilang 577.

Napatunayan ko pong katotohanan lahat yan sapagkat doon sa tape mismo nandoon ang pangalan ko na pinag-uusapan ni Garcillano na "ituloy mo na maski wala si Juliano. Ituloy na ang canvassing."

Yun po ang mapapatunayan kong may katotohanan. Kumpleto po ako ng record.

Arangkada for June 21, 2005

 

                       PRUYBA SA TIKAS

 

Dugang ebidensiya nga di minao-mao ang audio recording sa giingong istorya nilang Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ug kanhi Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner Virgilio Garcillano pagtikas sa eleksiyon sa niaging tuig: Gipanangtang ang tanang mga opisyal sa Comelec nga nahisgutan sa recording gikan sa pagduma sa umaabot nga eleksiyon sa Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Si Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos nipatawag sa mga opisyal sa Comelec sa ARMM aron pagseguro nga wa silay dapigan atol sa eleksiyon unya sa Agosto 8.

Ang mas klarong ebidensiya gibisto sa Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ). Sa artikulo ni Yvonne Chua nga nigawas sa ilang web log (

http://www.pcij.org/blog) gahapon, gitaho sa PCIJ nga nitakdo ang mga pasalig ni Garcillano ngadto sa presidente atol sa giingong tulo sa 10 nila ka panag-istorya sa telepono sa gibutyag ni National Citizens Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) Provincial Chairman Abdullah Dalidig sa Lanao del Sur nga labing grabeng kaso sa "dagdag-bawas" sa tibuok nasud.

-o0o-

Ang angayng pasidunggan nga wa hingpit malubong sa kangitngit ang katawhan sa labing grabeng krisis sa administrasyon ni Presidente Arroyo, labi na dihang gigapos sa Malakanyang ug sa National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ang tradisyonal nga media organizations pagsibya sa audio recording ug pagpatik sa kinatibuk-ang transcript ini, mao ang PCIJ ug ubang websites kansang kaisog ug kaligdong nahimong iwag sa publiko nga gihikawan sa ilang lehitimong katungod sa pagpakisayod.

Ang gobyerno, labi na si Justice Secetary Raul Gonzalez, nga maoy nahimong berdugo sa pagpanghasi, way nahimo sa pagpahilom sa progresibong websites kay di man nila mahimong tak-opan ang Internet. Ang liderato sa PCIJ gipunit sa TxtPower (

http://www.txtpower.org) nga maoy nitanyag sa libreng download sa nagkalainlaing bersiyon sa popular nga "Hello Garci" ring tones.

Ang kalamposan sa PCIJ, TxtPower ug ubang websites klarong maoy nakapugos sa Malakanyang ug NTC pagbalitok ug pag-uyon na lang nga isibya sa kinatibuk-an ang kontrobersiyal nga recording.

-o0o-

Way sukaranan ang mga tambag ngadtong Presidente Arroyo nga iyang sundon si kanhi presidente Bill Clinton sa Estados Unidos kinsa nakalikay sa impeachment pinaagi sa pag-angkon sa iyang sala ug pagpangayo og pasaylo sa katawhan. Ang atraso ni Clinton nga napamatud-an sa mga imbestigador nga gipangulohan ni Kenneth Star mao ra ang iyang pakighilawas ni Monica Lewinsky sa Oval Office sa White House samtang ang pasangil batok ni Presidente Arroyo mao nga iyang gitikas ang eleksiyon sa niaging tuig.

Si Clinton nasakpang nagbudhi sa iyang asawa, si karon Senador Hillary Clinton; samtang si Presidente Arroyo gitumbok nga nangawat sa mandato sa katawhan. Ang atraso ni Clinton maisip nga depekto sa kaligdong, samtang ang pasangil batok ni Arroyo, kon mapamatud-an, makahimo niyang di haom sa labing taas nga puwesto sa nasud. [30]  leo_lastimosa@abs-cbn.com

The Lanao del Sur Vote (by PCIJ)

Posted by Yvonne Chua

OF the 10 recorded conversations supposedly between President Arroyo and Elections Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano from May 28 to June 2, 2004, three of these were calls from the President who showed special interest in the canvassing in Lanao del Sur province in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

Post-election accounts show that it was in Lanao del Sur where one of the worst cases of "dagdag-bawas" (vote-padding and shaving) in the May 10, 2004 elections took place. The charge was made by not only the political opposition but no less than Namfrel provincial chair Abdullah Dalidig.

In their May 29 conversation, the President is heard asking Garcillano if she would still lead by more than one million votes nationwide.  The commissioner, who noted that opposition bet Fernando Poe Jr. was leading in certain places, assured Arroyo, " Mataas ho siya pero mag-compensate po sa Lanao yan."  The President, he said, could still get the one-million-plus lead "if we can get more in Lanao," adding that he was still expecting the poll results from seven more municipalities of Lanao del Sur's 39 provinces.  The results from Lanao del Sur were among the last that were transmitted to Congress.

The race between Poe and Arroyo for the presidency was close. In the congressional canvass, Poe beat the President in Luzon and Metro Manila by 1,755,837 votes, but was defeated in the Visayas by 2,323,493 votes.  In the Mindanao count, he lost to Arroyo by 300,399 ballots.  In the end, the action star was defeated by more than one million votes.

In her June 2 phone call to the elections commissioner, the President sought clarification on the reported mismatch between the statement of votes (SOVs) and certificates of canvass (COCs) in Lanao del Sur and Basilan. Garcillano gave the President this assurance:" Dun naman sa Basilan at Lanao Sur, ito ho yung ginawa nilang magpataas sa inyo, maayos naman ang paggawa eh…Huwag ho kayong masyadong mabahala. Anyway, we will take care of this. Kakausapin ko rin si Atty. Makalintal."

COCs cover the count at the municipal leveland SOVs at the provincial level. Election returns (ERs) are at the precinct level.

Then on June 8, the President supposedly made yet another call to Garcillano, shortly after Namfrel's Dalidig appeared in a press conference at a Quezon City restaurant alleging "dagdag-bawas"in Lanao del Sur. Garcillano offered to attend to the matter by getting Rex Sumalipao, provincial election supervisor of Lanao del Sur, to help. "…Rex Sumalipao, the supervisor, is coming, and we will also try to make him say something after this. Pagsasalitahin ko sila ho without letting the people know that I am the one who will address it ho," he told the President. (Sumalipao is now Comelec's assistant regional director for ARMM.)

The final congressional tally shows Arroyo winning in Lanao del Sur. She garnered 128,301 votes and Poe 43,302 in the elections held on May 10, 2004. The President got another 30,447 and Poe 6,805 in the special elections that were subsequently held in Lanao del Sur towns where failure of elections was declared.

But according to Namfrel's summary of provincial ERs, which forms part of its June 30, 2004 terminal report on the elections, Poe was leading Arroyo, 42,374 to 32,389, and the opposition's Loren Legarda beating Noli de Castro, 56,568 to 23,242, in Lanao del Sur. Namfrel tabulated 82.98 percent of the ERs nationwide.

Documents from Namfrel's chapter in Lanao del Sur illustrate the extent of the alleged vote-padding and shaving. The most interesting involved the town of Poona Bayabao. Located about 37 kilometers from Marawi City, this town merited special mention in Garcillano's May 30 conversation with a certain Rey, whose voice Comelec and ARMM sources identified as that of election supervisor Rey Sumalipao. Sumalipao reported to Garcillano that an en banc order had been issued: He was "to continue with the canvassing but suspend the proclamation."

A copy of the COC that Namfrel obtained of the voting in Poona Bayabao shows President Arroyo and Legarda (it gets the fourth copy) leading their opponents 4,700 to zero. But the ERs that the poll monitor was furnished (Namfrel gets the sixth copy) reveal a big discrepancy: Neither Poe nor De Castro obtained zero votes. In two tables prepared later by the Namfrel chapter summarizing the ERs in 13 precincts in Poona Bayabao, Poe got 767 and Arroyo 964, while Legarda obtained 1,252 and De Castro, 350.

Diladig's chapter also prepared tables comparing the ERs and COCs in seven other towns: Lambayanague, Taraka, Saguiaran, Marantao, Mulondo, Binidayan and Balindong. Dalidig counted 10,077 more votes in the COC. [Some tables contain computation errors.] According to the Namfrel chapter, the President's votes were padded by 21,217 votes while Poe's were shaved by 9,174.

The political report, in its minority report, also identified Poona Bayabao, Tara, Saguiaran, Lumbanayague, Marantao and Mulondo as towns where "dagdag-bawas" purportedly took place.  The report also listed the towns of Tubaran, Taguluan II, Masiu and Bulig. By the opposition's reckoning, a total of 6,986 were added to the President's votes in the four towns, While Poe's votes were reduced by 2,680 in Wao. But Congress simply "noted" the minority's objections and request for a return to the ERs, and proceeded with the canvass.

Since the wiretapped conversations were made public, Dalidig told the Philippines Daily Inquirer he felt vindicated because neither the Namfrel national office nor Congress had paid him heed during the canvassing.

The six to seven Lanao del Sur towns that were still canvassing the votes weeks after the elections were held also formed the subject of Garcillano's conversations with other people, presumably including Comelec field officers.

The elections commissioner told an unidentified man on May 25 votes might still be obtained in seven towns in Lanao del Sur. "Kung makuha natin yung maximum sa Cotabato at madagdagan ng Lanao Sur, tama yung sinasabi mo," he said.

On the same day, a certain Danny informed Garcillano that the candidate they were helping was reported to have won in six municipalities in Lanao del Sur. He replied: "Mananalo talaga siya. Nandun si Louie, Macarambon eh. Pababantayan ko …" The two then said they should if the candidate were to win by 20,000 to 25,000 votes.

On May 28, Garcillano got a call from a woman that the results from the six towns from Lanao del Sur were arriving in Manila on the last flight from Cagayan de Oro.

Five days later, on June 2, Garcillano is heard telling an unidentified man that "pinagdududahan nga akong nag-kwan sa Lanao Sur." The man had informed Garcillano that former senator Robert Barbers was still expecting the votes from 27 towns in Lanao del Sur.  The ex-senator, however, had gotten his numbers all wrong: The counting was over except in only a handful of precincts, not towns.

Hello, Garci Ring Tone Download

Here are Mp3 and wav files of the Hello Garci ring tone:

Indymedia server:
"Hello Garci" ringtone, MP3 format (124.1 KB)
"Hello Garci" ringtone, MP3 format (72.1 KB)

Server Mirror 1:
"Hello Garci" ringtone, MP3 format (360KB)
"Hello Garci" ringtone, WAV format (197KB)

Server Mirror 2:
"Hello Garci" ringtone, MP3 format (360KB)
"Hello Garci" ringtone, WAV format (197KB)

Server Mirror 3:
"Hello Garci" ringtone, MP3 format (360KB)
"Hello Garci" ringtone, WAV format (197KB)

To save, right-click on the file and click save as.

Many thanks to QC Indymedia and Yuga of PinoyBlog and Ploghost for hosting the files.

Links to the entire tape are at the PCIJ blog.

How do I put it in my phone?

1. Download your choice by clicking any or all of the files.

2. Transfer the downloaded file/s from the computer to your phone using either an infrared connection or a USB-to-phone cable.

3. For those whose phones have GPRS/WAP access, point your phone's browser to www.txtpower.org and download it directly to your phone.

4. Once transferred to your phone, the sound file may be used as ringtone for calls or text messages.

Other options

1. Ask for file-transfer from friends who may already have the ringtone. Both your phones should have either infrared or bluetooth connections.

2. Join any of the future anti-GMA rallies and look for the TXTPower banner. Next big date is June 24.

3. Watch out for the TXTPower "Hello Garci" Ringtone Download Team when they go around offices, stores and tiangges, communities and schools!

Arangkada for June 20, 2005

 

                           PILDE SA TAK-OM

 

            Si Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo gikatahong determinado nga magpabiling tak-om parte sa audio recording sa giingong panag-istorya nilang kanhi Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano pagtikas sa eleksiyon sa niaging tuig.   Iyang gisalikway bisan ang awhag sa iyang mga alyado sa politika—silang kanhi presidente Fidel Ramos ug pipila ka mga senador ug mga kongresista sa administrasyon—ug ang ligdong nga mga lider sa ubang mga sector—silang Bishop Teodoro Bacani ug kanhi senate president Jovito Salonga—nga iyang klaruhon iya ba ang tingog sa recording.

            Ang nakapait mao nga samtang hilom ang presidente, padayong nisibaw ang "Hello, Garci" nga ringtones u gang text jokes nga nahimong lehitimong alternatibo human nila gaposa ang mga estasyon sa radyo ug telebisyon ug ang newspapers pagsibya sa recording ug pagpatik sa transcript.   Klarong nakaamgo sa dakong kasaypanan kay ang National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ug Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP) nibalitok na man sab og niuyon nga isibya ang audio recording.

-o0o-

            Ang pagpakahilom sa presidente ug ang pagtago-tago ni Garcillano maoy nakapakumbinser sa sektor sa katilingban, nga sa sinugdanan nagduda unta sa katinuod sa pasangil kay di kadawat sa otro sang nangalisbong mga anomaliya sa taga oposisyon gawas nga way klarong alternatibo sa presidente, nga nagkonsabo gyod silang Presidente Arroyo ug Garcillano pagmaniobra sa resulta sa niaging eleksiyon.

            Mahimong di pa ni igo pagpalihok nila pagpangampanya sa pagpalagpot sa presidente pero inanay nang napapas ang ilang pagsalig sa lider sa nasud.   Ang nag-anam kadako nga haw-ang tali sa mga molupyo ug sa nasudnong liderato maoy ampay sa mga grupo nga di ganahan og malinawong kausaban.  Ang mga utok-pulbora ug ubang puwersa sa kangitngit maoy labing makaginansiya ning pagpabaga ug pagpapating sa presidente.

            Kay di mahimong hingpit nga ipadaplin ang audio recording tungod lang kay illegal ning nakuha.   Di mapahilom ang labing sipa nga mensahe ini nga posibleng ang mandato sa presidente kinawat ug ang balaanong tingog sa mga botante, nga mahimong iyang gitampok sa bukobuko, gitabonan sa iyang hakog nga interes pagpabilin sa gahom sa bisan unsang eskandalusong paagi.

-o0o-

            Ang kampanya sa propaganda sa Malakanyang pagpintal sa mga lider sa oposisyon nga mga ahente sa kagubot, mga "destabilizers," nga ang pagpagawas sa audio recording, nga giingong gigastohan ni Laarni Enriquez, kabit ni kanhi presidente Joseph Estrada, og labing menos P2 milyones, di katoohan kay:

·        Si Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, di ang oposisyon, ang unang niwarawara sa recording sa Malakanyang;

·        Mas kapuslan untang recording niadto buhi pa si Fernando Poe Jr. ug ang iyang protesta batok ni Presidente Arroyo; ug

·        Mahimong gisakyan sa oposisyon ang sitwasyon pero naklaro na nga di silay naghimo sa wiretapping ug di silay nagpagawas ini sa publiko.   [30]  leo_lastimosa@abs-cbn.com

           

Arangkada for June 19, 2005

        KAKAK SA KAMATUORAN

 

            Ang administrasyon ni Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, pinaagi nilang Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye ug NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco, maoy labing unang nipahibawo nga ilang isumiter ngadto sa mga eksperto ang kontrobersiyal nga audio recording sa giingong istorya nilang Presidente Arroyo ug kanhi Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano aron masusi tinuod ba o minao-mao.  Pero human nipadayag og interes ang gobyerno sa Estados Unidos pagtabang paghiling sa kamatinud-anon sa recording, nikalit lag likoy ang Malakanyang:

• Si Bunye niangkon na nga mahimong nasayop siya sa pagpagawas sa recording ngadto sa media ug sa pag-ila sa usa sa mga tingog nga iya sa presidente ug nga way pagtugot ang iyang mga lakang (ang iyang pagpabilin sa puwesto nakapapas na hinuon sa bisan unsang pagduda kon buotbuot ba tong iyang gihimo; ug
• Si Wycoco nikakak na nga di makiangayon nga ang iyang ihatag sa Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) mao ang di orihinal nga kopya maong iyang giawhag si kanhi NBI deputy director Samuel Ong pagsurender sa iyang giwara-wara nga "mother of all tapes."

-o0o-

            Karong nagkauyon nang mga grupo nga nagsuporta ni Presidente Arroyo sa Edsa Dos pagsumiter sa recording ngadto sa independenteng mga eksperto, mahimong makaangkon na gyod og mas makiangayong katin-awan ang mga pagduda sa katawhan.  Kay ang unang duha ka langyawng eksperto nga nideklarar nga matinud-anon ang recording pulos gikontrata sa oposisyon, ang eksperto sa Australia gibayran ni Senador Panfilo Lacson, samtang ang eksperto sa New Jersey binayran ni kanhi senador Francisco Tatad.  Ang ekspertong makuha sa mga dumadapig ni Presidente Arroyo, nga gikatakdang mopagawas sa findings sa wa pay SONA sa presidente sa Hulyo, segurong mas katoohan.

            Nahadlok hinuon kong di magpatara ang administrasyon ining lakang sa mga grupo sa Edsa Dos.  Di man katoohan kon ilambigit sa Malakanyang ang NGOs nilang Laarni Enriquez ug kanhi presidente Joseph Estrada, mahimong kuwestiyunon ang ilang motibo pinaagi sa pagpasangil nga dugay ra silang nitalikod sa administrasyong Arroyo.  Hinaot nga di manglawgaw ang palasyo.  Aron nga di mosamot ang pagduda sa katawhan nga gusto gyong Presidente Arroyo nga ilubong sa kangitngit ang recording hangtod nga makalimtan kon makakita nag laing kontrobersiya ang katawhan.

-o0o-

            Hinaot nga makaangkon sab sa ilang tingog ug kaisog ang ubang mga grupo.  Hinaot nga di sila mahadlok nga mo-utingkay sa kamatuoran bisan kon hingpit silang nagsuporta ni Presidente Arroyo ug makiangayon silang nibarug batok sa pangurakot ug ubang nangalisbong mga eskandalo nga niputos sa mga lider sa oposisyon.

            Ang pagbisita ni kanhi presidente Corazon Aquino sa biyuda ni Fernando Poe Jr. nga si Susan Roces karong hingpit nang niulbo ang kontrobersiya sa audio recording makahuloganon.  Ako mapaubsanong nagtoo nga alyado sa presidente, di lider sa oposisyon, ang makahiusa sa katawhan pagpaningil sa gipig-otan nga kamatuoran.  [30]  leo_lastimosa@abs-cbn.com

Arangkada for June 18, 2005

 

                     HUDLAT UG PIG-OT

 

Ni-epekto nang labok sa gamhanang makinarya sa Malakanyang nga nagtrabaho og overtime aron paghaw-as ni Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo gikan sa labing lawom nga gahong nga iyang nahulgan sukad sa iyang pag-asumir sa labing taas nga katungdanan sa nasud kapin sa upat ka tuig nang nilabay. Inanay nang nihakop sa katawhan ang lapad nga kahadlok, nga gipanghinaot sa administrasyon nga maka-iban kon di man makapapas sa inanay nilang pagkakumbinser ug nituybo nilang kasuko batok sa mga gipasanginlan sa bag-ong ebidensiya sa pagmaniobra sa resulta sa niaging eleksiyon.

Human gaposa ang mga kamot ug taptapi ang mga baba sa mga sakop sa media, human padad-i og gatosan ka mga polis ug mga sundawo ug armored personnel carriers ang San Carlos Seminary, human ikiha si kanhi NBI deputy director Samuel Ong, human hudlata ang ubang nagpakabana sa pagpaminaw sa kontrobersiyal nga recording ug human lawgawa ang imbestigasyon sa Kongreso sa samang kontrobersiya, nakapa-alarma bisan sa ligdong nga mga molupyo ang text messages—nga klarong gipasiugdahan sa iresponsableng mga lider sa oposisyon—nga ideklarar nang martial law sa Hunyo 21, ang petsa sa pagkapupos sa ultimatum sa retiradong mga heneral nga nidemanda nga mokanaog ang presidente sa puwesto.

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Ang paghudlat sa katawhan ug ang pagpig-ot sa ilang katungod pagpakisayod maoy nakahatag ni kanhi presidente Ferdinand Marcos sa abundang kahigayonan pagsemento sa iyang diktadura. Pero ang katawhan nga beterano sa duha ka Edsa nakat-on na. Di na sila abtan og 20 ka tuig una makamatngon nga kon magkahiusa silay tinuod nga hawod ug silay naghupot sa tinuod nga gahom pag-umol sa kaugmaon ning nasura.

Hinunoa, ang padayong panghudlat ug pagpig-ot sa administrasyon mahimong makapadali hinuon sa pagbugkos sa katawhan, kansang kinabag-an wa pa manginlabot tungod sa pagduda sa kaligdong sa motibo sa mga nisakay sa labing bag-ong eskandalo sa presidente. Kon pit-on gyod sa administrasyon, ang katawhan mas daling makamatngon nga ang gobyernong nangawat og mandato, bisan unsang kamasaaron ug bisan sa kalang-og sa oposisyon, di angayng magpabilin sa gahom sa dugang usa ka gutling.

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Mga torotot sa administrasyon nilusad sa labing bag-ong bersiyon sa panagang sa lisod lalison nga audio recording: Bisan nagka-istorya silang Presidente Arroyo ug kanhi Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, way ebidensiya nga gitikas ang eleksiyon; nga bisan nagplano silang Arroyo ug Garcillano pagpugos nga usa ka milyon ka boto ang mayoriya sa presidente, way ebidensiya nga aktuwal nga gikuhaan ni Garcillano ang mga botong Fernando Poe Jr. ug gitakli ngadtong Arroyo.

Angayng pahinumdoman si Presidente Arroyo nga si anhing US President Richard Nixon wa kapamatud-ing apil pagsugod sa Watergate scandal. Pero gipalayas siya sa katawhan tungod sa paghimog mas dagkong krimen pagtabon sa gamayng orihinal nga krimen: Ang paglungkab sa headquarters sa Democratic Party sa Watergate Hotel. [30]   leo_lastimosa@abs-cbn.com

ABS-CBN Headlines

Erap cries witch hunt in bid to link Laarni to wiretapping
Former President Joseph Estrada on Friday accused the Arroyo administration of "utilizing its law enforcement agencies" in targeting the opposition in a political witch hunt to punish the wiretappers.
abs-cbnNEWS.com

•	SC junks bid to use counting machines for ARMM polls

•	Seized guns linked to destabilization
•	ISAFP agent Doble links Laarni Enriquez to tape scandal
•	House: No summon to Arroyo in tape probe

•	Stocks up, peso at 55.427:$

 

You can download these MP3 files of the alleged conversation between Pres. Arroyo and former Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano:

 

Eksena sa EDSA ikinasa, naunsyami

Ulat ni PATRICK PAEZ
The CORRESPONDENTS

Magulo at maraming tao ang isang bahagi ng Epifanio de los Santos Avenue sa Makati noong Biyernes ng gabi, Hunyo 10.

Wala itong kinalaman sa panibagong pag-aaklas o katumbas ng "EDSA 4" kundi nakaugat sa nakabalandrang mga sasakyan ng pulisya, mga peryodista at pulitiko sa harap ng seminaryo ng San Carlos sa Guadalupe, Makati.

Nagkumpol sa harap ng seminaryo ang lahat nang mabalitaang nagtatago roon si Samuel Ong, dating pangalawang direktor ng Pambansang Kawanihan ng Pagsisiyasat.
more...

Download Garci Ring Tone From TxtPower

June 17, 2005
Here are Mp3 and wav files of the Hello Garci ring tone:

Server Mirror 1:
"Hello Garci" ringtone, MP3 format (360KB)
"Hello Garci" ringtone, WAV format (197KB)

Server Mirror 2:
"Hello Garci" ringtone, MP3 format (360KB)
"Hello Garci" ringtone, WAV format (197KB)

Server Mirror 3:
"Hello Garci" ringtone, MP3 format (360KB)
"Hello Garci" ringtone, WAV format (197KB)

To save, right-click on the file and click save as.

Many thanks to Yuga of PinoyBlog and Ploghost for hosting the files.

Links to the entire tape are at the PCIJ blog.

Arangkada for June 17, 2005

 

               ABUNDANG EBIDENSIYA

 

Kon nagduda pa mo hangtod karon, ang gobyerno ni Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo nimatuod na nga ang kontrobersiyal nga audio recording tinuod nga nakuha gikan sa telepono ni kanhi Comelec Virgilio Garcillano nga gitawgan nilang Presidente Arroyo, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, kanhi senador Robert Barbers ug ubang opisyal sa administrasyon:

• Si Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye maoy nag-una-una pagpabati sa media sa giingon niyang tinuod nga bersiyon sa audio recording (nga kon itandi sa bersiyon nga gipagawas ni Atty. Allan Paguia, klarong ang bersiyon ni Bunye maoy gi-doktoran);
• Ang bersiyon ni Bunye, sama sa bersiyon ni Paguia, naglakip sa tingog nilang Gloria ug Mike Arroyo (maayong pangitaon ang CD nga iyang giwara-wara sa Malakanyang ug isagpa sa nawong ni Bunye karong niingon nga wa na siyang kaseguro iya ba gyod sa presidente ang tingog).

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Kon hangtod karon naglibog pa mo sa pangugat sa mga torotot sa Malakanyang nga ang recording mugna sa oposisyon aron pagtay-og sa gobyerno, ang administrasyon nimatuod na sab nga ang Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) maoy responsable sa wiretapping:

• Human ibisto ni Bunye ang recording, dihang wa pay naghisgot kinsay responsable sa krimen, ang Malakanyang nitaktak dayon sa hepe ug nitanggong sa 120 ka operatiba sa ISAFP;
• Padayoang gitanggong si T/Sgt. Vidal Doble, nga unta giisip ra man siyang biktima sa "kidnapping" ni kanhi NBI deputy director Samuel Ong sa San Carlos Seminary; ug
• Si Kongresista Roilo Golez, kanhi national security adviser ni Presidente Arroyo, nidemanda nga relibohan si Admiral Tirso Danga, ang hepe sa ISAFP atol sa wiretapping, aron nga di niya ma-influencia ang imbestigasyon sa Kongreso.

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Wa na mabag-ohi ang katawhan sa pagtak-om ni Presidente Arroyo labot sa recording. Kay trademark na sa administrasyon ang pagpanghunaw og responsibilidad sa mga kontrobersiya. Pero angayng pahinumdoman ang presidente nga siyay sentro ning labing bag-ong krisis, di na mahimong ipasa ngadtong Bunye ug ubang sakop sa gabinete.

Bisan ang iyang mga alyado nga gipangulohan ni kanhi presidente Fidel Ramos ni-apura na sa presidente pagdeklarar iya ba ang tingog sa audio recording. Kay ang iyang pagpakahilom sukwahi sa normal nga reaksiyon nga pagkisikisi ug panghimalingka sa usa ka tawo nga butangbutangan og sayop nga pasangil.

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Salamat sa ban sa NTC, ang recording nga gustong luokon sa Malakanyang nadunggan na sa mas daghang tawo, labaw sa pipila ra untang makalahutay pagpaminaw sa bungol-ug-di-kaayo-maklarong-tulo-ka-oras nga mga istorya sa telepono.

Ang pagtahod sa kagawasan sa katawhan pagpakisayod makatabang unta nila pag-umol og ligdong nga baruganan. Tungod sa dakong haw-ang sa kasayurang gihigpitan sa gobyerno ug sa kauhaw sa kasayuran sa katawhan, peligrong ang di-kaayo-responsableng-mga tinubdan maoy moumol sa baruganan sa katawhan para nila. [30]  leo_lastimosa@abs-cbn.com

ABS-CBN Download

 

You can download the controversial "Gloria-Garci" tapes from ABS-CBN Archive.

Agent Doble

Posted by Alecks Pabico, PCIJ

TECHNICAL sergeant Vidal Doble recently came into the limelight after being tagged by Atty. Samuel Ong as the one who gave the former National Bureau of Investigation deputy director the master copy of the alleged taped conversations between Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano and Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

An agent of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) assigned with the Military Intelligence Group-21, Doble is now in the custody of the intelligence agency after being "rescued" from the San Carlos seminary last Monday. Since then, Doble has declined to comment on his involvement in the wiretapping case even as the ISAFP has likewise refused to provide the media with details of his background.

Who is T/Sgt. Doble? Media reports have so far revealed scant information. The Philippine Star reported on Tuesday that he was with the ISAFP when he was reassigned  to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) headed by Panfilo Lacson in 1998. He is said to be known for his technical expertise in intelligence operations, a  fact attested to by a civilian agent with whom he had worked during his PAOCTF days.

On condition of anonymity, the agent has agreed to share with the PCIJ what he knows about Doble.

Given his expertise in counter-intelligence and technical monitoring from his long years in the AFP, Doble, our informant says, worked with the task force's Technical Surveillance Division (TSD) where he was assigned to several high-level security projects sanctioned by Lacson as task force chief or by then Pres. Joseph Estrada. Along with other TSD members who were the PAOCTF's collectors of information, his tasks consisted of setting up technical equipment or mobile type of operations, making bugging devices, securing safe houses, and manning the surveillance operations round-the-clock.

The agent says Doble, who used the codename "Double," was very crucial to the success of operations against kidnapping cases and other organized crimes, including terrorism.

"T/Sgt. Doble always followed the standard procedures or rules. He moves when he knows he has  legitimate orders and merit. In his reports, he discusses every possibility that could benefit the interest of the country and the people. That is how he is different from others. Though he belonged to the rank and file, he always made the best of his craft," he says.

Though he never really knew Doble personally, our source says he had on several occasions joined him in friendly gatherings where he observed him to be a quiet man, funny at times, and selective with those he speaks with. "I know he has a kind heart who never wanted riches but only dreams of providing his family a life of dignity."

Belying claims by ISAFP that it does not have the capacity to conduct wiretapping, our source says sophisticated surveillance equipment bought in 2000 went to the intelligence agency and the Presidential Security Group  (PSG), with one unaccounted equipment still in the custody of Lacson's men. He also confirms that the ISAFP has two contending factions — one in favor of the administration, the other in favor of the opposition — with "both using information at the expense of ISAFP and the AFP."

The civilian agent thinks Doble may have been part of the wiretapping "regardless of political affiliation," knowing him to be among the reformists in the military who are silently moving to fight corruption. However, he also says Doble's "turnaround" is understandable, albeit disheartening.

"When we speak of the chain of command, I fear that we will lose the very fight we both wanted. He is a soldier, and he will obey orders even if it's contrary to the interest of truth. It works that way back there," he says.