Don’t pre-judge Garcillano, appeals Cardinal Vidal
Dec 16, 2005
Former elections commissioner Virgilio Garcillano is staying at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City because of threats to his life, after he arrived in Manila from Maguindanao last Sunday to tell his side on the poll fraud allegations.
(Sun Star, December 06, 2005) Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal appealed to the public not to prejudge Garcillano and, instead, listen to what he would say.
“The search for truth could only be attained if we would permit Garcillano to speak out and not to jump to conclusions on allegations of cheating, lying and stealing that took place in last year’s elections,” Vidal said.
Garcillano is set to face a joint congressional committee hearing tomorrow on the controversial wiretapping scandal that involved him and President Arroyo.
Chief Supt. Eduardo Doromal, chief of the Police Security and Protection Office (Poso), said that 24 police officers are detailed to the headquarters of the National Capital Region Police Office where Garcillano is temporarily billeted.
He said security for Garcillano will stay as long as there is a threat to his safety.
The former poll official reportedly fled to Singapore on July 14 at the height of the scandal that rocked the Arroyo presidency.
The Singaporean foreign ministry confirmed Garcillano’s arrival in the city-state and his departure for London the next day.
Bunye too
In Malacañang, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said they expect Garcillano to vindicate the President when he testifies before the House of Representatives.
“The people have been wanting to hear from him, so let us give him a chance to say his piece,” Bunye said.
For his part, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the President is too busy to run the country to be distracted by the return of Garcillano to Manila and his impending appearance in Congress.
Ermita and Bunye reiterated that as far as Malacañang is concerned, the results of the 2004 elections were clear and that Arroyo won fair and square.
Bunye denied knowledge of the reported visit of Public Works secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. to Garcillano Sunday night.
He said if ever it were true Ebdane is already old enough to know what he is doing.
Meanwhile, Vidal said he could not be certain if Garcillano would tell the whole truth when he testifies in Congress.
Asked if Garcillano’s surfacing would make the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) reconsider its July 10 pastoral statement on the country’s political crisis, he said it would still depend on what he would have to say.
The CBCP had spurned calls for the resignation of Arroyo and instead called for independent investigations of the charges made against her.
Don’t pre-judge Garcillano, appeals Cardinal Vidal