Bayan Muna lawmakers want Garcillano charged with perjury, others

Ex-Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano denying charges at House hearing on Dec. 7, 2005, of rigging 2004 elections. INQUIRER PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Bayan Muna Party-list Representatives Teddy Casiño and Neri Colmenares on Thursday filed their counter-affidavits at the Office of the Ombudsman and reiterated that former Commission on Elections commissioner Virgilio Garcillano should be charged for perjury and falsification.

They said the former Comelec commissioner should be charged with perjury, falsification of a public document, use of a fake passport and violation of Section 4 (c) of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct on Ethical Standards.

The said charges were filed back on January this year because of Garcillano’s testimony during the House Joint Committee inquiry on the “Hello Garci” controversy.

In Garcillano’s testimony, he said he never went to Singapore after his alleged wiretapped phone call with former president now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was made public.

Although admittedly running after Garcillano using an “Al Capone tactic of using minor or other cases to catch big criminals,” Colmenares said that “if it worked against Al Capone then it may also work for local crooks here.”

“What is important here is that they should not get away from any of their crimes. Garci for one has stolen the votes of our people and he should pay for that.”