20 questions for Garci

From Ernesto Maceda:

Suddenly, former Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano is all over media granting interviews to Henry Omaga Diaz of ABS-CBN, John Unson of The Philippine Star and Michael Lim Ubac of Philippine Daily Inquirer.

And of course, the unfolding script is to deny that GMA cheated with this categorical statement to Star reporter John Unson: “I can tell you and I swear that there was no such thing as rigging of the last elections.”

And he specifically said: “Nowhere in the taped conversations can you hear me and the President talking about cheating in the elections. Neither did the President order me to cheat in the elections.”

So finally it is established that it was Garcillano who was the “Comelec official” GMA admitted calling.

It is also clear that Garcillano is on a well organized media blitz and will probably avoid attending any House or Senate hearings as the cases he filed before the Supreme Court imply.

But the more he talks, the more questions arise and unless he testifies under oath in a congressional hearing and subjected to cross examination, his statements will carry little weight and certainly will not erase overwhelmingly public belief that GMA did cheat to obtain her “victory” in the May 2004 elections.

To begin with, Garci must answer the following questions:

1) Why did he talk to GMA?

2) How many times did they talk?

3) Why was kidnapping mentioned?

4) Why did the First Gentleman call him?

5) How many times did they talk?

6) Who and how many other candidates talked to him?

7) Did he meet with any candidate or representative of a candidate personally? Were special operations discussed?

8) Why did he entertain the many calls of Sen. Robert Barbers?

9) Why did he tell Sen. Barbers to leave the money with his secretary, Ellen Peralta?

10) If opposition candidates and Sen. Barbers talked to him about their votes, why didn't he report them to Chairman Benjamin Abalos and other commissioners? Or expose them in media immediately?

11) Why did he hide for almost five months?

12) Where did he hide? Whose cars did he use?

13) Who helped him or accompanied him all that time? Armed bodyguards?

14) Did Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane or gambling lord Bong Pineda help him? Did he hide in Clark also?

15) How can he explain the official report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore that he arrived in Singapore that July 14, when the controversy about the Garci tapes started?

16) Did he accompany Comelec officials to the La Vista residence of GMA before the elections?

17) Why was he operating in Mindanao during the elections when he was assigned to Southern Luzon and Bicol as supervising commissioner?

18) How can he explain why his telephone was bugged and his conversations taped?

19) How much money did he spend to travel and hide for five months?

20) Was it his own money or given by someone else? By whom?