Election official involved in wire-tapping row dropped

An election official with whom President Gloria Arroyo allegedly discussed plans to rig the May 2004 elections was not reappointed to serve another term by the Philippine leader.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Benjamin Abalos said the exclusion of commissioner Virgilio Garcillano in effect means that he was fired from the powerful body charged with administering elections in the country. Also dropped from the rolls of Comelec commissioners is Manuel Barcelona, another official, who like Garcillano had been appointed by Arroyo two months before the May 2004 elections.

"[Virgilio Garcillano and Manuel Barcelona] were not present at our meeting, because they are no longer commissioners, having been bypassed by the appointments commission," Abalos was quoted in an interview published by The Manila Times daily yesterday. Arroyo appointed Garcillano and Barcelona in February to replace the appointees of former President Joseph Estrada.

Their appointments lapsed last Friday, a day after Congress adjourned its first regular session.

The exclusion of Garcillano came after Congress announced that it would inquire into the existence of alleged wire-tapped conversations between Arroyo and Garcillano during the election period.

The controversy over wire-tapping has prompted Filipino lawmakers to hold a special session at the House of Representatives to discuss the rules of the proposed investigation.

Wire-tapping, or the act of eavesdropping on telephone or electronically encrypted conversation and recording it without permission, is illegal in the Philippines.

At the same time, the four House committees tasked with conducting the investigation will send a letter to Arroyo and Garcillano asking them to submit their statement about the alleged recordings.

The conversations allegedly touched the issue of cheating in the elections. "It's high time that we get statements from the President and Garcillano and they should answer the allegations," according to Roilo Golez, House Defence panel chairman.

He added: "The President can say that she does not wish to comment on an illegally obtained wire-tap. From the legal point of view, that may be correct.

"But since the voice sounds like her voice ... I believe that she must now make a statement on this and level with the people," Golez, a former adviser to Arroyo, said.