Garcillano placed on BI watch list

MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Immigration on Monday placed on its watch list former election officer Virgilio Garcillano.

Immigration spokesperson Maria Antonette Mangrobang said this was in compliance with the order they had received from Justice Secretary Leila De Lima.

“The order will be for 60 days,” Mangrobang said in a phone interview with INQUIRER.net.

She said Garciallano cannot leave the country without approval from De Lima.

Garcillano surfaced during the weekend and denied involvement in the alleged cheating in the 2004 presidential elections.

Garcillano disappeared from public view after he lost in the 2007 midterm elections when he ran for congressman in Bukidnon.

Garcillano became controversial when in June 2005 the audio recording of a phone call conversation between then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Garcillano came out in public. In the conversation, the two were allegedly discussing details about rigging the 2004 elections.

The woman sounded like Arroyo, and Garcillano was believed to be the other party.

Arroyo eventually made a public apology for talking to a poll official but did not confirm whether the voice in the recording was hers.