More on the GLORIAGATE STONEWALLING and COVERUP

Ernesto Maceda:

The cover-up continues in a very clumsy way. At the House of Representatives' hearing on the Gloriagate tapes, a cabal of 30 pro-GMA congressmen delayed, fired off motion after motion, question after question on the rules, then refused Chairman Roilo Golez's appeal for a 30-minute extension and forced an adjournment to “save” Secretary Ignacio “Toting” Bunye from more questions and answers that drove him farther down the quagmire of a crude cover-up. Chairman Golez's question was fatal. He asked Bunye how in a few minutes he could determine what was fake and what was genuine. No answer. Golez emphasized it is taking the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) days and weeks to determine the genuineness of the tapes.

Later in the evening, non-partisan expert, University of the Philippines law Prof. Antonio Bautista in effect was of the view that the stonewalling in the House hearings and a decision to prevent the playing of the tapes are worse than the blocking of the opening of the 2nd envelope in the President Erap impeachment proceedings. He said GMA wouldn't last one week.

Malacañang made a colossal blunder in trying to preempt the release of tapes using Toting Bunye to release two tapes which he immediately played before the Malacañang Press Office. If it was alright for Bunye to play the tapes in the seat of executive power, why should it be illegal to play them in the halls of the legislative power? Clearly, a cover-up.

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What to do? To begin with, PAGC Chairman Connie de Guzman or Secretary Merceditas Gutierrez must now conduct a lifestyle check on all Comelec commissioners, supervisors and officers. Garci has a big house in Cagayan de Oro and a big farm in Baungun, Bukidnon.

Calling Finance Undersecretary Bonoan and Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Parayno, the independence of the Comelec does not exempt them from tax evasion. By the way, initial BIR audit of Rep. Iggy Arroyo's P314-million wealth, indicates a tax liability of P80 million. Undersecretary Bonoan, Commissioner Parayno, this is your chance to give credibility to your campaign against tax evaders. We are waiting. Juday Santos is watching. File it now before Iggy exits to Kota Kinabalu.

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Democracy? US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice in a speech in Egypt called on the Egyptian government to respect the democratic rights of its citizens, calling attention to the repression of the freedom of expression and assembly.

Now you can understand why Secretary Rice is so unhappy with the GMA administration. In addition to the many reports of alleged government involvement in the anti-drug, anti-fake treasury certificates and gun smuggling operations, the use of excessive force to enforce an illegal no-permit, no-rally policy is highly undemocratic. And the US Embassy sees this.

And to arrest printers of the anti-Gloria posters is another clumsy act of repression of freedom of speech. You cannot stop hand-made posters. The same right applies to printed posters.

The GMA hound dogs are clearly in a state of deep panic. Can you believe this? LTFRB Chairman Elena Bautista is threatening jeepney drivers with cancellation of franchise for tooting Hello Garci horns.

Did you notice ABS-CBN continues playing “Hello, Hello, Garci” in background interviews? Hello Noli!

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Play them. Sen. Serge Osmeña and Rep. Chiz Escudero should do a Bunye. Go to the Senate and House press rooms and play the tapes, if it is OK in Malacañang, then its OK for the Senate and the House. No discrimination, please.

GMA and Wycoco cannot stop the tidal wave of the tape playing. Everyone is asking for a copy and reproducing it on his own to pass on to friends and neighbors.

In 2001, it was text messages. Now, it's the tape. Hello Gloria!

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Favorite text. The latest good one: There are reptiles in Malacañang. May (a) SAWA, may ANAKonda at may BAYAWak pa! Beware!