Denial means he’s still on Arroyo payroll–Bayan

Virgilio Garcillano’s denial of involvement in cheating in the 2004 presidential election shows that he is still on the payroll of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said Saturday.

But Garcillano’s participation in the investigation of past electoral fraud is not necessary in the search for truth because more witnesses are stepping forward, Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes said in a statement.

“[Garcillano’s] denial is hardly surprising … and will not weaken efforts to make accountable those who are responsible for the fraud-tainted 2004 polls and the ensuing cover-up,” Reyes said.

Reyes also said that despite the former election commissioner’s denial, everyone knew that there was cheating in the 2004 polls, and that it seemed only Garcillano and Arroyo were the ones saying they had no knowledge of it.

“Both of them stand a good chance of landing in jail once the wheels of justice turn,” he said.

In Cotabato City, Estrellita Juliano, who ran and lost in the mayoral race under the late Fernando Poe Jr.’s banner, said the opposition knew from the start that there was massive cheating during the 2004 presidential election.

She said the practice of padding and shaving votes was so massive but that the opposition candidates had nobody to turn to because the election personnel were themselves involved.

Poe was Arroyo’s closest opponent in the 2004 election.

Juliano said the other forms of poll fraud were the “illegal canvassing and proclamation of winners” using “unsigned statements of votes by the chair and vice chair of the board of canvassers.”

“There were no reports or records at the local Commission on Elections regarding canvassing and proclamation proceedings. And instead of only 521 canvassed election returns as inventoried for Cotabato City, the total ERs swelled to 574,” Juliano said. Reports from Leila B. Salaverria in Manila; and Charlie C. Señase, Inquirer Mindanao