AS I PREDICTED... 
House ends 'Hello Garci' probe.
MANILA -- After seven months of intense discussions and arguments on the "Hello Garci" controversy, the five House committees that investigated the alleged wiretapped conversation between President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and a former poll officer have finally terminated the probe.
Up to the very last day of the hearing, members of the opposition failed to make former Commission on Election official Virgilio Garcillano admit that it was his voice in the controversial "Hello Garci" tape.
Administration congressman Aurelio Umali of Nueva Ecija moved that the five committees terminate the hearing claiming that they have exhaustively investigated the matter since the committees were first convened on June last year.
The opposition members did not contest it except for a few who appealed they be allowed to finish first with their last few questions. The hearing was finally terminated past 1 p.m.
North Cotabato Representative Emmylou Taliño-Santos, chairperson of the House committee on public information, said the committee will conduct an executive hearing on February 15 to finalize the committee report, which will be submitted to the plenary for deliberation.
The five joint committees began hearing the wiretapped conversation on June 15, 2005 based on a privilege speech delivered by House Minority Leader Francis Escudero regarding the alleged wiretapped conversation of the President and Garcillano.
During Wednesday's hearing though, there were still efforts made by the opposition to make Garcillano admit that he was the one in the controversial tape but to no avail.
At the same time, the former Comelec official reiterated that he never left the country since 1996 to present as shown by his passport submitted to the joint committees last December.
Comelec Commissioner Florentino Tuason, who was among those asked by the committees last December to appear in Wednesday's hearing, was the only one who attended the hearing and testified.
Tuason was asked to testify on an issue raised by Bukidnon Representative Teofisto Guingona III regarding an en banc resolution of the Comelec promulgated on August 25, 2005 that contained Garcillano's signature, the same time when he was already "missing."
Tuason made it clear before the committees that Garcillano signed the resolution a few weeks before he formally resigned from the commission, and it has been a usual thing for the commission to promulgate its decision late.
At the same time, Tuason explained before the committees that it was unethical for politicians to call Comelec commissioners during election period but there are cases that need to be considered.
"I have to qualify my answer. It is unethical for politicians to call on Comelec commissioners during election period but there's an exemption, some happened to call to seek the attention of the commission regarding irregularities in certain places," he said.
He added though except for Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, who inquired about his standing in the canvassing, he never received any call from other politician during the election period since he was appointed in 2001 simply because "nobody knows me and that my forte is on absentee voting."
Tuason, who admitted to have known Garcillano only a few months before the controversial commissioner's appointment in 2004, told the committee that he could not recognize the voice of Garcillano in the controversial tape.
"With all candidness, it is hard to conclude that he was the one on the tape," the commissioner said.
Other invited personalities in the hearing, including officials of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Isafp) led by its chief, Brigadier General Marlu Quevedo, snubbed the hearing and invoked Executive Order 464 issued by Arroyo, which prohibits government, police and military officials from attending Congressional hearings without the permission of the President.
Escudero, at the same time, asked Garcillano as to who from the House of Representatives secured his person, claiming that the former Comelec official has been staying at Camp Bagong Diwa since December 7 last year, the first time he appeared before the committees.
"I really can't tell you who secured my person. I really don't know why I am being detained there," Garcillano said.
He further added that if he would be given a choice he would rather stay in his house in Cagayan de Oro City than in Camp Bagong Diwa where he was not really feel safe.
After his first appearance on December 7 last year, Garcillano made himself available again for the committees on December 13.
In both occasions, Garcillano admitted nothing about the wiretapped conversation, which he supposedly had with the President.
The only admission he made during those hearings was that he talked to the President only once and it was two weeks after the elections.
He said he talked to the President only once and not 15 or 17 times as claimed by the opposition and what was contained in the supposed spliced tapes.
That conversation between him and Arroyo happened only 14 days after the elections or on May 24, 2004, and during that time, all election results were already submitted to the Senate.
He also reiterated that he never left the country as claimed again by members of the opposition.
But members of the opposition still insisted that Garcillano indeed left the country at the height of the controversy, claiming he went to Singapore, London, Brazil and Malaysia.
While still in doubt that Garcillano did not leave the country, opposition Representatives Ma. Imelda "Imee" Marcos of Ilocos Norte and Gilbert Remulla of Cavite asked that the committees exert more efforts to determine the authenticity of his passports and to check as well documents at the immigration office.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will be asked to submit a certification on the authenticity of Garcillano's passport.
In the case of the Bureau of Immigration, it will also be asked to submit a certification whether Garcillano left the country from 1996 up to the present. (DBP/Sunnex)
House ends 'Hello Garci' probe.
Originally Posted by slakker
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