Alleged Garci 'phone pals' ready for lie test
The war of words between former poll commissioner Virgilio Garcillano and his alleged opposition "phone pals" during the May 2004 elections intensified Tuesday with both camps demanding they all submit to lie-detector tests.
Cebu Rep. Clavel Martinez and Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez, both named by Garcillano's lawyer as among the candidates who called him during last year's election, denied talking to the former poll official but they accepted the challenge to undergo polygraph test to prove they are nor telling a lie.
Garcillano's lawyer, Ed Tamondong, said the denials from members of the opposition are expected but the former election official is challenging them to a lie detector test.
Reacting to Garcillano's challenge, Martinez said: "I am willing to, but on condition Garcillano himself submits to a lie-detector test. And also his lawyer Tamondong also submits to a lie-detector test."
Golez also said he is willing to take the test but Garcillano should go first.
Both Martinez and Golez denied a statement made by Garcillano's lawyer that they were among the eight lawmakers who gave his client a call during last year's elections.
"Wala pong katotohanan 'yan, hindi po ako tumawag sa kanya (All lies, I did not call him)," Golez told DZMM.
Golez suggested that they look at Garcillano's phone records from his telephone company to find out the candidates who phoned the former poll commissioner at the height of the vote counting in May 2004.
Golez said the only possible time he and Garcillano met was when Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos called for a briefing of all candidates in Metro Manila last year.
He said they were given a demonstration of the counting machines that were supposed to be used for the elections but was turned down by the Supreme Court.
Although Martinez confirmed she talked to Garcillano, she said it was the former poll commissioner who went to her office to lobby for his confirmation at the Commission on Appointments in which she was a member last year.
She, however, denied talking to Garcillano during the elections on matters related to the polls.
"What reason would I have to call him when I am very comfortable in my district?" Martinez said.