2005

June 6?To preempt an alleged opposition plot, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye plays two CDs of supposed conversations between President Macapagal-Arroyo and Election Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, about an alleged attempt to rig the May 2004 elections.

June 9?Ms Arroyo denies cheating in the polls.

June 14?Commission on Elections Chair Benjamin Abalos says Garcillano technically lost his position after Ms Arroyo failed to renew his ad interim appointment, which expired on June 10. Abalos says there is nothing wrong with a candidate asking a Comelec official to safeguard his/her votes.

June 19?Garcillano?s wife Grace denies in a phone interview that she and her husband left Cagayan de Oro City for Malaysia. She says Garcillano is in the country.

June 21?Congress opens inquiries into alleged wiretapping of the President?s phone.

June 27?On TV, Ms Arroyo admits talking to an election official whom she does not name. She denies rigging the election, saying she was only anxious to protect her vote because of the slow canvass. She asks for forgiveness, adding what she did was a lapse in judgment, but indicates she will not resign.

July 5?Garcillano surfaces and denies rigging the election in favor of Ms Arroyo.

July 6?Garcillano issues affidavit clearing Ms Arroyo of poll fraud, and identifies certain lawmakers as those who called him to express concern about fraud.

July 8?Ten Cabinet members, later called the ?Hyatt 10,? resign their posts and ask Ms Arroyo to do the same.

July 28?NBI says it tried to serve a subpoena to Garcillano in his former condominium unit in Ermita, Manila, and at his residence in Cagayan de Oro City, but he was not there.

Aug. 3?House orders Garcillano?s arrest after he ignored its summons twice.

Aug. 17?The Department of Foreign Affairs divulges report from Singapore foreign ministry saying Garcillano arrived in that country on July 14?the day Congress issued a subpoena?and left for an undisclosed place the next day.

Nov. 22?Grace Garcillano says her husband is back.

Nov. 27?In an interview with the Inquirer in Cotabato City, Garcillano denies leaving the country and talking to Ms Arroyo about rigging the 2004 election. He says he is willing to face inquiry.

Dec. 4?Garcillano turns himself in to authorities in Maguindanao and flies to Manila.

Dec. 7?Garcillano testifies at a House inquiry but says he cannot answer questions regarding the tapes because the petition he filed before the Supreme Court is pending.

He admits talking to Ms Arroyo during the canvassing but claims there was no mention of protecting votes. He promises to produce his passport in a week, if he can find it, to prove he did not leave the country.

Dec. 13?Garcillano testifies that he did not speak with Ms Arroyo?s husband during the election period.

Dec. 14?Garcillano admits it was his voice on tape but insists it was spliced.

2006

March 24?Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Representatives Alan Peter Cayetano, Teofisto Guingona III and Joel Villanueva lodge charges of perjury, falsification of public document and violation of the Passport Act against Garcillano before the Quezon City prosecutor?s office.

April 4?Rep. Gilbert Remulla and 15 other congressmen file 21 counts of perjury and falsification of public documents and two counts of violation of the Passport Act before the Quezon City prosecutor?s office.

The charges are separate from the previous complaint but are based on the same facts.

Nov. 14?Department of Justice dismisses the perjury and falsification of passport charges. Inquirer Research