June 28, 2005 · Posted in: In the News
Apology in a can of worms
(This post should have been up on our blog last night, but was delayed because of technical problems we experienced late afternoon yesterday.)
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s apology raises more questions than it answers. Tonight, after three weeks of silence, she admitted calling a Comelec official before and during the canvassing of the results of last year’s elections. She apologized for this “lapse in judgment” and insisted that her actions were meant “not to influence the outcome of the election” but merely to protect her vote.
Mrs. Arroyo admitted to an impropriety, and asked Filipinos that she be allowed “to close this chapter and move on with the business of governing.”
This statement is a gamble. For sure, the President did not admit to conspiring to rig the vote. But her carefully worded apology in effect confirmed that the conversation or conversations with an unnamed Comelec official, presumably Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, took place.
Tonight’s announcement also confirmed, if only indirectly, the authenticity of the “Garci” tapes (or at least portions of these), which have been at the center of the controversy roiling her administration. Such a confirmation has serious repercussions, if not for the President herself, then for a whole slew of other individuals, most of all Garcillano himself, who is recorded as being involved in various transactions aimed at rigging the count.
The conversations, after all, provide damning proof that Garcillano was, in the words of a Comelec official, “the plotter for electoral fraud, the overall supervisor and commander in chief” of the manipulation of the count in favor of the administration. The recording points to systemic and institutional fraud perpetrated by the Comelec. Does this mean that the President, by confirming her phone calls to the commissioner, also provided, albeit indirectly, a virtual confirmation of the fraud?
The President also in effect implicated former Senator Robert Barbers, who was caught on the tape arranging a payoff of P1.5 million to P2 million to Garcillano. About a dozen other Comelec officials and bureaucrats, whose conversations with the commissioner alluded, however indirectly, to manipulating the vote, should also be held to account, even if the President were found to be innocent.
But is she really? Were her calls to the commissioner really as harmless as she claims?
The President, according to the three-hour recording of Garcillano’s conversations from May 26 to June 10, 2004, made 15 phone calls to the Comelec commissioner. On one day alone, May 29, she made three phone calls. Were so many calls needed to “protect” her vote? Wouldn’t a blanket statement to the commissioner that he should ensure that no cheating is done have sufficed? And why didn’t she call the Comelec chairman, instead of a functionary lower down the totem pole? Did she have to personally ask Garcillano about the count in specific towns and about specific incidents regarding the opposition’s accusation of fraud in Mindanao?
Perhaps the most damning conversation between Garcillano and the President was the one that took place at 10:29 p.m. on June 2, 2004. During that call, Mrs. Arroyo expressed concern that the statement of votes (SOVs) that support the provincial/municipal certificates of canvass (COCs) in Basilan and Lanao del Sur did not match.
In that call, Garcillano said that the mismatch was possible but that the president should not worry because “itong ginawang pagpataas sa inyo…maayos naman ang paggawa, eh (the way in which your votes were increased was done well).” This was in effect an admission that there was, as the opposition had alleged then, a manipulation of the votes in those two provinces. Confirming that this conversation took place is a virtual admission that the cheating in those places also happened.
In the same conversation, Garcillano alluded to a rigging of the canvass in Basilan and Sulu. He told the President: “Sa Basilan, alam nyo naman ang military doon eh hindi masyadong marunong kasi silang gumawa eh. Katulad don sa Sulu, si Gen. Habacon. Pero hindi naman ho, kinausap ko na yung chairman ng board (of canvassers) sa Sulu. Ang akin pataguin ko muna ang EO (election officer) ng Pangutaran para hindi siya makatestigo ho. (In Basilan, the military wasn’t so good at doing these things, like in Sulu, with Gen. Habacon. But I already talked to the chairman of the board of canvassers in Sulu. I think we should just ask the election officer of Pangutaran to hide first so he doesn’t have to testify).”
This conversation implicates Maj. Gen. Gabriel Habacon, commanding general of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division, whose area of operation covers Basilan, Sulu and the Zamboanga peninsula. Garcillano implied that Habacon was party to the fraud.
The election officer of Pangutaran town in Sulu was Cipriano Ebron. It was in Pangutaran that the opposition alleged massive dagdag bawas operations took place, with Mrs. Arroyo’s vote being padded by 8,000 and Poe’s being shaved by 2,000. Such an operation would not have been possible without Ebron’s cooperation. Apparently, the President was worried that Ebron would talk. This was why Garcillano assured her that Ebron would be asked to hide in the meantime so that the opposition would not be able to force him to testify on the anomalies. If the President says this conversation took place, then was she also not party, if not to fraud, at the very least to obstruction of justice?
In fact, more details surface in another conversation, this time with a certain “Ruben” to whom Garcillano recounted that the military had already told Ebron to make himself scarce. In yet another call, the commissioner described Ebron as his man (“tao ko yan”) and even boasted that “kahit pakainin mo ng bala yun, di na magpapakita (even if they made him eat bullets, he wouldn’t show up).”
But that is not all. Other conversations in the three-hour recording leave a trail of doubt about the intent of the President’s conversations. At face value, the most frequently replayed question she asked of Garcillano, in a call at 9:43 a.m. on May 29, 2004, “So will I still lead by more than 1 M (million)?” may seem innocent enough.
But Garcillano’s reply, “Pipilitin ho natin ‘yan,” would seem to indicate that the commissioner was in a position to ensure such a lead. How can a Comelec official do that, except by manipulating the count?
In fact, Garcillano told the President during the same phone call that while Poe was leading in some places in Mindanao, votes from seven municipalities in Lanao would make up for the shortfall. The reality on the ground was this: Poe was ahead in Lanao del Sur 42,374 to 32,389, at least according to the preliminary Namfrel count. But upon the Comelec’s orders, special elections were called in seven towns where a failure of elections had been declared. Unsurprisingly, Mrs. Arroyo got an overwhelming majority of the vote in those towns: 30,447, against Poe’s 6,805.
But the Namfrel chapter in the province, after comparing the certificates of canvass and the precinct-level election returns, found that the President’s tally in seven Lanao del Sur towns was padded by 21,217 votes, while Poe’s were shaved by 9,174. In another town, Poona Bayabao, the certificate of canvass showed Arroyo getting 4,700 votes, while Poe got zero, and this was what was reflected in the final count. The Namfrel chapter, however, showed precinct-level election returns that listed Arroyo getting 964 votes against Poe’s 767.
In the end, the congressional canvass showed her final count in Lanao del Sur at 128,301 versus 43,302 for Poe. Given this context, Garcillano’s assurance to the President that she could get her one million “if we can get more in Lanao” does not seem as innocuous as Mrs. Arroyo would like us to believe.
In fact, the overall sense of Garcillano’s conversations was that the fraud was extensive and systemic, as it involved not just the Comelec but also the military and the police. Mrs. Arroyo’s admission and apology tonight therefore open a can of worms. If Garcillano said all of those things, then he was guilty of fraud. But he was surely, certainly, not alone. He had a whole infrastructure of fraud behind him, and as Mrs. Arroyo herself confirmed tonight, also the implicit support of the President for what he was doing.
114 Responses to Apology in a can of worms
raincontreras.com - one pinoy pundit points and shoots » Apology, Schmology
June 28th, 2005 at 4:43 am
[…] d on
Tuesday 28 June 2005
Read PCIJ’s article “Apology in a can of worms“, regarding Pres. Arroyo’s breakout speech on Gloriagate. I was never good […]
lethal_pointofview
June 28th, 2005 at 4:52 am
It was indeed a dramatic scenario for Manang GLo,her facial expression in the television looks like asking for alms in the church…It took her 2 weeks to write a script or her writer to write a crop full of disgust..,admittance of a crime…a slap to the 80 million Filipinos…filing…travelling from mountains to mountains.., province to province.sacrificing to cast their Vote in the last national election…., Filipinos who died during the election,,justifying the bases of International Observers and other local groups that the last election was a success…
As of one of the millions of Pinoys who represent this country, Manang GLos “to close this chapter and move on with the business of governing.” drama anthology is not acceptable…I cannot digest those words she uttered…Her apology is not enough for the lives that was lost, to those people who fought for justice…to those Honest teachers who are really working hard in order to safe guard the ballots that was manipulated by the evils in the COMELEC (spearheaded by Garcillano a.k.a. Vote Buying Vendor Machine Operator, and how come the chairman of the COMELEC didnt know the deeds of his men…BLIND or deaf maybe but I smell something fishy on it…Garcillano is a traditional Dirty Old fellow from Mindanao, 43 damn years of imperfection in the so called COMELEC…Can you imagined how many past politicians did he served and accustomed by this kind of business…Same thing with GLoria….A tradional Politician…a traditional cheater…a self confessed cheater as per admission on her 7pm Nationwide broadcast of “breaking the silence”. Caught in the act… A stalemate …whether she accept it or not.. still…
Amazing it is…Is the presidency worth keeping for…when i was a child i thought of becoming a President in our country…but it change…I just want to be a private citizen but with an eye of looking to our elected officials who are suckers of power and wealth…
How much wealth can we rig out of Presidency…
Can we expect Manong Garci to get out of the Bush and say something…otherwise..we are paying for his service for the past 43 damn long years…Seniority sucks…Y? they know all the tricks and magic in the Department or Organization…Like COMELEC… Commission $$$$ PPPP …..Pls help scrapped the COMELEC, NAMFREL….
Why is it that the US is mum over the issue…after all the money they spent on the administration’s camp just to win Manang GLO….Imagine…how many soon to be big time politicians are going to suck the wealth of our nation…of how many people who are going to be poisoned by the promises that these TRAPO make…
What goes around comes around isn’t it?…
Pls Glo…. Naog na sa imong pwesto, wala nay hinung-gan na mopadayon ka sa imong pag-abang dira sa Malacañang…. Sakto na sa pagpadato sa imong lahi…Buhi na kaayo imong mga apo sa inyong kadato karon…Ayaw gamita ang imong posisyon sa pagkawat sa imong kaugalingong interest…(Cebuano language)
You are not the real President of this Land…you will never be…ever in this lifetime…
To Manong Garci,
Utro pod ka tiguwanga ka…baga kay kag nawong…KURAKOT ka…TULISAN…show your face in nationwide Television….Nawong kag Kwarta…imong pamilya pod Nawong ug kwarta….Imong asawa,imong anak….inyong iro…iring…baboy…Hudas ka…gi luib nimo ang katawhan sa Mindanao og tanang katawhan sa Pilipinas…Don’t hide old pirate…Show your face…U should be under lethal injection…
Even if you don’t comment on anything…In the eyes of the Masses….You are guilty… GUILTY….GUILTY….GUILTY…
Code Tremor
June 28th, 2005 at 5:50 am
Response to GMA’s Mea Culpa
She looked calm and prepared when she spoke. She tried looking gloomy and sorry. Imagine a child getting caught from looting cookies from a cookie jar. Her affect was almost sepulchral.
tobebs
June 28th, 2005 at 6:10 am
With tha admission of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, I could now say that people in government are:
G – reedy
M – anipulator
A – rrogant
jonas
June 28th, 2005 at 7:11 am
Impression on GMA’s admission:
She was cold and robotic on her deliver (I-am-sorry) which projects an insincere effort. She said sorry but she immediately and unabashedly assumed that she was ready to ‘go on’. You really have to have an elephant skin to do this maneuver.
If she think – since she already admitted and ask everyone to move on just like that – she still has control of the situation, she’s gravely mistaken. Actually her pronouncement would be the start of her gradually losing control of everything the presidency stands for.
And Filipinos are not dumb and stupid to let her go just like that.
rich___ong
June 28th, 2005 at 7:29 am
There are 2 ways to wiretap a mobile GSM phone. Method 1: You need to clone the SIM with inside help form a mobile operator and you must have complete access to the mobile network switch(In this case SMART or GLOBE)-this is highly unlikely since the operators themselve would not allow this to happen. Method 2(used by ISAFP) You must know the person’s number(Garcillano’s phone was a prepaid phone for security reasons) and the exact location of the person when the calls takes place within a 1 kilometer radius. The machine with ISAFP is sensitive but needs to be close to the phone being tapped. Now the question arise who authorize the wiretapping. Who knew Garcillano’s phone number? Who knew the whereabouts of Garcillano who was continuously on the move? The opposition didn’t have any clue about Garcillano. I don’t buy the reason that Garcillano was wiretapped to make sure he won’t turn around. That leads to the question turn around from what. Only the inner circle knew about Garcillano’s purpose and therefore his whereabouts and phone number. Why was Garcillano wiretapped? I’m sure he didn’t plan to joint the opposition during the counting. Who nominated him to the COMELEC? I think the guy knows very well whom he owes. So the wiretapping was not planned from the very beginning. But I believe someone from the inner circle had the wiretapping done for some future use knowing that there will be an illegal operation during the election. These wiretapping can be use to bag juicy contracts and post to someone who possess it. These tapes were release in aid of collection or revolution. Not from the opposition but from the greed of someone within the inner circle. That has been settled out already in a meeting in Malacanang. The president was shocked and awed with these tapes and all the more it came from an ally at that.
marubdob
June 28th, 2005 at 7:30 am
the time for procrastination is OVER! the decent and law abiding filipinos who compose the greater number should act now and rid ourselves of the evil that has been imposed upon us: the illegitimate government of the usurper GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO. masisikmura pa ba natin ang isang panggulo na nanloko, nangulimbat at nagnakaw ng sagradong boto ng mga mamamayan? her apology more than anything else exposed the kind on animal she really is. one who will stop at nothing to conceal the truth.
kasabay sa pagpapatalsik kay arroyo, sama sama rin nating walisin at silaban sa ngitngit ng sambayanan ant mga tao at institusyong nakipagsabwatan sa panggagago ng sambayanang pilipino:
1. ang COMELEC sa pangunguna ni abalos
2. ang NAMFREL lalung lalo na si Jose Concepcion at si Bill Luz kasama na rin ang mga buwayang negosyante ng ayala
3. ang mga elitista na may pakana ng pambababoy sa saligang batas upang protektahan ang kanilang interes
4. ang mga buktot na opisyal ng AFP at PNP na tahasang nagpagamit at patuloy na nagpapagamit kay arroyo
5. ang mga obispo at paring nagbingi-bingihan noon mayo 2004 sa gitna ng malawakang dayaan na naganap
6. ang mga pulitiko at opisyal ng gobyerno na walang kahihiyang nagtakip sa mga kabulukan ni arroyo lalo na si bunye, wycoco, drilon, de venecia, defensor, santiago, pangilinan, pichay, nograles, zubiri. magsama – sama kayo sa impiyerno!
hindi sapat ang paghingi ng palabas na patawad. tanging ang pagbaba ni gloria ang magpapahupa sa nagpupuyos na galit ng tao. hindi impeachment, hindi constitutional succession!
patunayan natin na di napapagod ang mamamayan sa pagpapalayas ng tiwaling gobyerno. huwag tayong maniniwala na babagsak ang ekonomiya dahil matanggal ng bumagsak ito. alalahanin natin na tanging tayo lang ang magmamalasakit para sa ting kapakanan. tubo lang ang hangad ng mga dayuhang mamumuhunan.
ano ano ang puede nating gawin?
1. duon sa mga may kakayahan, magpadala tayo ng mga sulat sa mga pandaigdigang babasahin tulad ng times at newsweek upang ilahad ang kawalanghiyaan ng gobyernong ito
2. magsabit ng mga itim at pulang laso bilang tanda ng galit ng tao
3. itigil ang pagbabayad ng buwis sa huwad na pamahalaang ito
4. magdikit ng mga poster na nagsasaad ng kahilingan ng sambayanan na bumaba si arroyo sa malakanyang
5. mag-ingay at magkalampagan sa mga opisina, paaralan at iba pang pampublikong lugar
6. patuloy na magmanman sa balakin na pamalaang iligaw o idiskaril ang sama samang pagkilos ng bayan
we deserve a better government. if we dont oust gloria now, we wont have any reason to complain later.
MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS!
domeng
June 28th, 2005 at 7:34 am
Now our fake destabilizing president has spoken… after a series of denials.. it’s now time to resign or is she? Does she has the nerve to feel it?
Atty C
June 28th, 2005 at 7:52 am
Finally, the cheat now seating in Malacanang broke her silence and confirmed what we already know. But far from saying sorry, she is again trying to cover up and by doing so, take us again for a ride. She and her cabal of apologists think that we are that stupid. We should drag this kevlar-faced midget out of Malacanang and punish those who continue to support her.
I suddenly lost my respect for Cory Aquino (Ninoy Aquino must be turning in his grave). The people should punish in the coming polls the likes of Drilon, Pangilinan, Pichay, Salceda, Gordon and all her conspirators (of course, they will cheat their way to win, but we should also remove the likes of Abalos in the Comelec – he was frequenty mentioned in the tapes, and judging from the conversations, he was also in the know, if not one of them).
We should express our indignation and take to the streets once again. I am glad that I saw Father Robert Reyes last night on television, expressisng his sentiments although only very shortly (he expressed his opinion that Cory Aquino should not sit in a Truth Commission, favoring Haydee Yorac instead, which I totally agree with). I hope that after the funeral of Cardinal Sin today, he will actively participate as he has done in the past in issues like this, where the issue is the morality of a cheat leader.
In other countries, a small controversy is enough to bring leaders to resign in shame (think Watergate where the only sin of Nixon was for trying to cover up a break in). The Japanese would even commit suicide. Unluckily for us Filipinos, the word Resign is not in our leaders vocabulary. Instead, Kapit Tuko is the name of the game. What kind of leaders do we have? Cheats, Thieves and Leather-faced Crooks! How embarassing. What do we teach our children now? Cheat, then say you are sorry if you are found out? Steal, then say sorry afterwards.
Bunye, Defensor, Gonzales, Claudio, etc. – ang kakapal ng mga mukha ninyo. Nakakaharap pa kayo sa TV? (With a straight face at that?) All of you will be judged by history.
Oliman
June 28th, 2005 at 7:53 am
A can of worms indeed. This current chapter in our political scene is no different from any chapter, this story has been told and retold in different times with different characters, but the best thing that will come out of this is that we now have people who have been “mentioned” that can be put to trial which will serve as a lesson to future leaders, when I was in grade school I wanted to be a part of the political scene when I grow up, I took philosophy in college with the same hopes, they were saying that “we are the future”… now I am 30, I am supposed to be the “future” but the future has arrived, at least for me, regardless we are all responsible for what has transpired, because we elected the powers that be, not just the presidency but even the local governements we have and it all connects to where we are now. Democracy is about empowerment of the people but it also needs proper governance to keep it “sane”. President Arroyo has now opened a new chapter in Philippine politics, something that can truly be a start of a good thing, if we Filipinos choose wisely. Let’s not hit the streets up in arms with this, but let us all hit our local governemnt for changes, let our elected “servants” feel that they work for us and not the other way around, we are now in “power” not to YELL ON THE STREETS but to YELL in UNISON through our pens to inform and remind the powers that be, that their days are numbered. In the future, voting wisely… from your local representative to the highest levels of our political ring will make or break what GMA has started now… a revolution to change the system we are “imprisoned-in”.
The J Spot
June 28th, 2005 at 7:54 am
Admission
President Gloria Macapaga-Arroyo issues an apology, and admitting that the voice in the Wiretapgate audio was indeed hers. She does not admit to rigging the vote, but she says:
I was anxious to protect…
acidrain69
June 28th, 2005 at 8:41 am
Subject: GLORIA APOLOGY
EVEN IN HER SO-CALLED APOLOGY, THE PRESIDENT UNFORTUNATELY CONTINUED TO LIE. IF I GOT HER STATEMENT RIGHT, SHE SAID THAT WHILE SHE HOLDS HERSELF FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LAPSE OF JUDGMENT IN TALKING WITH A COMELEC COMMISSIONER (GARCILLANO), THE ELECTIONS WERE “OVER” AT THAT TIME. NOT TRUE.
COUNTING IN CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES WAS STILL GOING ON, FOR EXAMPLE, IN TIPO-TIPO WHICH WAS MENTIONED IN HER TAPED CONVERSATION WITH GARCILLANO. MOREOVER, THE CANVASSING AT THE PROVINCIAL AND CITY LEVELS WAS STILL INCOMPLETE AT THAT TIME OF THE TAPED CONVERSATION. AND CERTAINLY THE NATIONAL CANVASSING WAS IN PROGRESS AT THAT TIME. OBVIOUSLY, THE PRESIDENT WANTED TO MISLEAD THE PEOPLE BY RESTRICTING THE MEANING OF “ELECTIONS” TO THE DAY OF VOTING WHEN SHE SAID THAT THE ELECTIONS WERE DONE. WHAT WAS OVER WAS THE ELECTION DAY. BUT NOT THE COUNTING AND THE CANVASSING THAT ARE THE PROCESSES MANDATED BY LAW TO ASCERTAIN HOW THE PEOPLE VOTED.
SHE ALSO MISSPOKE WHEN SHE CLAIMED THAT THE EXIT POLLS SHOWED THAT SHE HAD WON THE ELECTIONS FAIR AND SQUARE. IN METROMANILA, FOR EXAMPLE, THE EXIT POLLS HAD HER WINNING THE ELECTIONS BUT THE ACTUAL COUNTING AND CANVASSING OF THE VOTES SHOWED THAT IN METRO-MANILA SHE WON ONLY IN ONE MUNICIPALITY CONTROLLED BY THE FAMILY OF SEN VILLAR: LAS PINAS.
IF THE PUBLIC APOLOGY TO THE PEOPLE OF THE PRESIDENT WERE TO BE COMPARED TO A CONFESSION BY A PENITENT TO A PRIEST, THE PRIEST WOULD PROBABLY TELL HER: YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN YOU. GO AND SIN NO MORE. BUT MAKE SURE YOU RESTORE TO ITS RIGHTFUL OWNER WHAT YOU STOLE.
IN THIS CASE, THE PRESIDENT STOLE THE VOTES OF THE PEOPLE. WHILE SHE CAN NO LONGER RESTORE THE STOLEN VOTES OF FPJ, SHE CAN ALWAYS MAKE RESTITUTION BY RESIGNING THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT FOR THE SIMPLE REASON THAT SHE DID NOT HAVE THE PEOPLE’S MANDATE TO OCCUPY IT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
NEW ELECTIONS ARE DEMANDED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES SO THAT THE NEW LEADER IS GIVEN A NEW MANDATE AROUND WHICH THE PEOPLE CAN UNITE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATION.
FRATERNALLY, NENE PIMENTEL
jay cynikho
June 28th, 2005 at 8:55 am
G.Arroyo had just confessed to the crime of cheating in the election. She is apologizing for a call. Which one? There were many calls she made attesting to carrying our a plan composed of many judgements made to break the law. Every Hello Ma’am is a misjudgment, which was deliberate before every call. Let the Prosecutors count them.
She is sorry and contrite, two acts of conscience many will believe she is not capable of, otherwise she could have been a mediocre president, instead of the worst. Let the surveys prove how many will believe her contrition and how many will accept it.
By confessing and being sorry, THE ONLY THING LEFT FOR HER TO DO IS RESIGN AND BE READY TO BE CHARGED IN COURT AND BE SENT TO JAIL ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHERS SHE HAS DRAGGED DOWN BY HER CONFESSION.
G.ARROYO’s resignation should pave the way for cleaning up the election system by the incoming administration. Cleaning up means charging in court and sending to jail when found guilty Chairman Abalos and his Commissioners, the COMELEC Regional Directors and Provincial Directors, the entire membership of the Canvass Committee of Congress, Luz and other NAMFREL officials who manipulated the results, the staff of ABS-CBN and GMA 7 who fooled the people, the PNP Generals, the AFP Generals who were mentioned in the tapes.
The mastermind has confessed with the aid of a retired judiciary official. Let the confession of the mastermind be the
domino of doom for all those who raped the right of suffrage of the Filipino people. This is the time that tries Pinoy’s courage. If he finds it this time, then he will find too his wayward and drunken soul.
LET THERE BE A TRUTH COMMISSION SIMILAR TO BISHOP TUTU’S OF SOUTH AFRICA. LET THE AX FALL WHERE IT MUST.
acidrain69
June 28th, 2005 at 9:16 am
About PGMA and the problem our country is in right now. As a matter of fact:
WE ARE IN DEEP SHIT AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF PEOPLE ELECTED IN THE POSITIONS IN OUR GOVERNMENT.Our country is dying and with the PGMA “Gloriagate Issue” the country has went under the grave and is waiting for the Undertaker to cover the grave with the scandals now coming out in the open. In Magandang Umaga Pilipinas, Mike Defensor raised the point that “Filipinos SHOULD FORGIVE AND LET US GIVE THE PGMA A CHANCE TO PROVE SHE CAN CHANGE THE STATE OF OUR ECONOMY AND RAISE THE LEVEL OF QUALITY OF LIFE FOR FILIPINOS.” I say to Defensor and all the PRO ADMINISTRATION SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN AND ALL PGMA — SHIT TO ALL OF U WHO BELIEVE THAT SHE CAN HELP OUR COUNTRY OUT OF THE PROBLEMS WE ARE IN. Why should we give someone a chance when she wanted power and the perks that come with the job… WILL PEOPLE BE THAT FORGIVING IF SOMEONE MAKES A MISTAKE? WILL U BE ACCEPTED AGAIN ONCE U ADMIT U DID A WRONG THING? WELL PGMA SAYS SHE DID NOT DO A WRONG THING.. SHE WAS NOT UNETHICAL…. THATS BULL… PGMA EVEN ADDS THAT SHE ONLY WANTS GARCI TO GUARD HER “VOTES” — MY COMMENT — with a seating president with all the machineries to manipulate the election process why on earth will u ask a public official to monitor your votes.. are u trying to tell us that officials can still be conned under their nose and the opposition and other forces can cheat their way to power in the elections? THINK ABOUT THIS – PGMA HAS THE POWER AND CONTROL OF EVERYTHING.. IF THEY WANT TO CHEAT THEY CAN. WE CANT DO ANYTHING TO STOP THEM. BUT FOR THE OPPOSITION CANDIDATES — THEY NEED TO DO MORE THINGS TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL ONE COMELEC “ALLY” TO CHANGE THINGS TO THEIR FAVOR AND U NEED MORE THAN ONE ALLY TO MAKE UR CHEATING “ARRANGEMENTS” FEASIBLE/ POSSIBLE OR ELSE THE CHEATING “ARRANGEMENTS” WILL BE BLOWN OUT INTO THE OPEN. WHAT I SUGGEST TO EVERYONE AND TO EVERY CONCERN CITIZEN IS THAT — LETS NOT JUST FORGIVE AND FORGET WAT OUR SO CALLED PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO DID IN THIS GLORIAGATE .. LETS REMEMBER THE TIME HOW SHE CAME TO POWER.. HOW SHE AVOIDED NUMEROUS UNSUCCESSFUL IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS — HOW HER FAMILY IN CONNECTED TO THE JUETENG PAYOLA AND OTHER ACTIVITIES — LETS REMEMBER HOW SHE IS AND LETS LOOK AT HER FACE — DO U REALLY SEE THAT SHE MEANT WAT SHE SAID? NO MATTER WHAT SHE SAYS REMEMBER SHE PROMISED SHE WOULD NEVER RUN FOR PRESIDENT LAST DECEMBER 2003 BUT HOW COME SHE RAN FOR OFFICE? ONE THING IS FOR SURE — NO MATTER HOW RELIGIOUS SHE SAYS SHE IS — SHE LIES !
jishinka
June 28th, 2005 at 9:36 am
I have to say that “confessing” on national TV is completely a coraugeous thing to do. But we should all understand that the admission of the truth does not stop there. There are consequences to every person’s action, which in this case, the President must face. Of course, we’re fortunate enough to know the “truth”, though, I not agree that we should forgive and forget. This is has been the perennial attitude of Filipinos that’s why we never learn and correct our (and our leaders) mistakes at the expense of the nation.
tobebs
June 28th, 2005 at 10:12 am
acidrain69
In that same program sinabi ni Defensor di nya alam kung nasaan si Garci. Sabi naman ni Sen. Saguisag “GINA-GAGO mo lang kami Mike”. Tama si Sen. Saguisag ‘tong si Defensor kahit buking na humihirit pa rin. I don’t know what Bunye, Pichay, Zubiri, Claudio, Nograles, Gonzales atbp. has to say.
apollo
June 28th, 2005 at 11:05 am
kuya jay cinikho,
now is the time to call for a lawsuit against the evil midget….
magsasaka
June 28th, 2005 at 11:06 am
ginagago tayong lahat ng mga politiko.
nasaan na si Joker Arroyo who is usually very vocal about such things.
meekcute
June 28th, 2005 at 11:30 am
I was expecting that apology from our BOGUS Pres. GMA, and as usual she’s trying to captivate the people by her facial expression,and flattering words, which is very obvious that she’s not sincere of what she was saying! we all know that the justice must be serve to that particular heinous crime, after her apology, if she’s sincere enough, then she must “RESIGN” just to complete the transformation of her whole being and face the consequences, just like the example of Bro. Eddie Villanueva last nite, he said that “if your daughter had been raped, what you gonna do with rapist? will you forgive and forget of what was happened? of course NO! let the truth and justice be serve, she’s not an ordinary citizen, the power that she posses right now is from the PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, she should return that power by resignation!
indio_lowless
June 28th, 2005 at 11:30 am
Basic is the word of honor to every Filipino but this seems to elude GMA.
In the advent of the “illegal” ouster of Erap, she promised us good governance as well as a good economy even a million jobs. Did it happen? To some yes.
It can be recalled that on 30 December 2002, she openly declared that she would not be running for president. Did it happen? She retracted. Everyone knows.
Then after weeks of silence, she finally admitted that the voice was hers and asked forgiveness in the process with an implied note that she will do his damn best for the Filipino people.
Now, will we allow ourselves to be taken for a ride again by a dubious President who has no word of honor at all? I believe not.
long71
June 28th, 2005 at 11:52 am
inamin mo na–magbitiw ka na! sarap na sarap kayo masyado magpayaman
long71
June 28th, 2005 at 12:00 pm
hindi kaya bombahin ang mrt para mawala ang atensyon ng tao sa gloriagate?
Atty C
June 28th, 2005 at 12:54 pm
Calling the Famas Award Body. Alam po namin tapos na ang awarding nayong taon. Baka po pwede ninyo ipahabol isang award para sa peke nating presidente? Please?
sinningsaint
June 28th, 2005 at 1:16 pm
THE PERSON VERSUS THE OFFICE
Every Monday, where I work, we hold a Flag Raising Ceremony… and afterwards, an “Officer of the Day” speaks in front about a topic of various interests.
The Officer of the Day last Monday didn’t make it. So our General Manager spontaneously took over. Regrettably, I didn’t clearly understand what he said entirely. ‘Twas an outdoor ceremony and the sound system could not beat the noise. But I did hear something about the controversial issues hounding our President. That the person is different from the Office. That the President is different from the Presidency. That we shall stand firm on our support to the Presidency, since her detractors are not attacking the person anymore but the Office.
I agree. But not quite.
Bill Clinton did what he later admitted he “did”… or what Monica Lewinsky “did” to him… or whatever he “made” Monica Lewinsky do.. well, whichever story you heard and chose to believe. The act and admission was damaging to Bill as a President. But not to the US Presidency.
Mr. Clinton was disgusting.
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo did what she now admits she “did”… or what she regards as a “lapse in judgement”. Or what she regards as “not wrong”.
She is disgusting. But she is taking the Presidency along with her.
Because what she did was a clear abuse of power, not over an individual or a “boy toy” =) But over a whole legion of shrewd manipulative as****. And with a clear disrespect to the integrity of elections: the essence of democracy.
Why would she want to protect her votes? Protect it from whom? from what? Questioning the integrity of the elections is in itself giving yourself a justification to act beyond the system.
Tanga lang ang magsasawalang-kibo kahit may duda sya na naaagrabyado sya.
Who are the people behind her? Who are the other voices in the Gloriagate tape? These people knew something and were doing something.
I may compare her situation with Bill’s if the US Secretary of Defense called Monica Lewinsky to go to the Oval. If the Governor of South Dakota locked and guarded the door outside. If the US’ Chief Justice at that time was video-taping the incident.
But Bill was alone in this act. GMA is not.
Bill would have done the same even if he was not a President.
GMA, if she wasn’t the President, could not have gotten that guts to do that “judgment lapse”.
God help her Office. Not her.
apollo
June 28th, 2005 at 1:16 pm
as it is… the truth came out…. by her own mouth…
now they are trying to pull wool over our eyes….
The office of the President of the Philippines is considered as the highest office of the land not only because it oversees everything in this so called archipelago of ours, it is considered as such because it carries the aspirations, the ideals, the embodiment of the Filipinos… as such it bears to one that holds the said office to bear the burden of representing all that the Filipinos stands for….
what we have right now is a farce, a misrepresentation of the ideals that we hold dear.
we have someone impersonating the President of the Philippines in the office right now.
and this same person is brazenly saying that she still has a mandate while apologizing to all the Filipinos that were disenfranchized thru her dagdag-bawas machinations during the last elections….
where is your amor-propio ms.evil midget?
if you call that an apology…… you are a bigger fool than i thought… all the things that you said in your speech… are full of lies, half-truths and deceit….
what mandate are you talking about? how can you have a mandate when it is clear as crystal that you stole the elections?…
and since you dont have any mandate at all, do you think we can really just close this chapter and let you govern over us? are we really that stupid?
you doubling your efforts to serve us? oh, cam-ong!
how? by doubling your family’s jueteng collection? or doubly bankrupting the nation’s coffers like you did the pcso’s and the dpwh? even after raising taxes and collecting a lot of money…
dear midget, to let you stay in that office where we have put all our hopes and dreams will be the greatest crime of the century…
yep, we will join hands to show unity and to forge one Philippines determined to kick you out of that office you don’t deserve…[where everyone is equal under the law and not harrased by you and your cabal esp. justicesec gonzales]
our nation’s anger is strong and getting stronger. The progress to unite to fight for your ouster is steady.
we ask that you walk away from our nation [and never come back at that] in the hope that we can rebuild our great nation from your corruption and ineptitude.
the only thing left for you to do dear is to go out of the presidents office and dont worry about the constitution… it will guide us well and let us put in place a true leader that will help us…
nobody believes you now midget… only stupid people will believe someone who is a liar, a cheat and a thief….
ricelander
June 28th, 2005 at 1:17 pm
WHERE’S GARCI? It would be interesting to hear what he has to say– if he’s alive yet.
sinningsaint
June 28th, 2005 at 1:18 pm
Syanga po pala. Empleyado po ako ng gobyerno. Di ko na sasabihin dito kung saang ahensya. Pero marami ho talagang mga makakapal ang mukha dito sa gobyerno natin: pag mas mataas ang posisyon, mas makapal ang mukha.
Asa ka namang magbibitiw si Tita Glo sa pwesto.
opti
June 28th, 2005 at 1:28 pm
G-UILTY
M-ANIPULATOR
A-POLOGIZES
HOW TRUE.
opti
crd_web
June 28th, 2005 at 1:31 pm
Muntik na akong maiyak kagabi sa pa emote ni GMA. Me K din palang umarte ang ating presidente. Dapat ginandahan sana nila ang background music para mas convincing.
Apology accepted. Resign with dignity.
Atty C
June 28th, 2005 at 1:32 pm
Sinningsaint:
I agree with you that GMA was not alone in this. This was a pre-meditated operation going back way before the election. One clue: appointment of Garci. Another: Scrapping of the computerization. (Hello, SC (Supreme Court). Pangilinan and Gonzales: Noted.
Anyway, kung di magbitiw si GMA, we can always throw her out the same way Marcos and Erap were thrown out.
swerty
June 28th, 2005 at 2:13 pm
I’m calling all historians, authors, journalists, lawyers and others to publish a book about Philippine politics and highlight our version of democracy. Let’s see if it will be banned by our current administration.
javajoe
June 28th, 2005 at 2:59 pm
I think the admission is the first step. we need to be circumspect about what really is going on. What happens to GMA only history will be the one to judge her. In the absence of further manipulation i think only time will tell what kind of punishment the people will give her. I also believe that there can be no justice without confession and restitution. we got the confession. Let’s see what restitution she will open herself up to. A person whose heart is really humble enough to accept the people’s wrath will see the path clearly and will find solace in the fact that what she does is the right thing irregardless of what others may think. Indeed the truth will set you free !!!
claymore
June 28th, 2005 at 3:02 pm
Anak ng !!! Ikaw pa ang may ganang ma-iyak…
Ikaw pa ang may ganang maluha.
Konting respeto naman…….ang tao gutom hindi tanga.
Sorry, sorry ka, pero ginagawa mo kaning tanga.
AAALLLLIIISSSSS DIYYAN!!!!!!!
tobebs
June 28th, 2005 at 3:18 pm
If ever an Impeachment Trial progresses, Senate Pres. Drilon should iinhibit himself because he already pre-judged the case by saying walang nilabag na batas si Gloria. For the meantime he could be our Ambassador to IRAQ.
jammer
June 28th, 2005 at 3:36 pm
kaya naniniwala ako kina cam ong at doble eh…
agent doble—> double agent, exposer.
sandra cam… S.cam—> ang expose’
Sammy Ong—> S.ong—> kanta ng mother of all tapes.
and GMA—> GUILTING MANDURUGAS ADMITS
TouchMeNot
June 28th, 2005 at 3:45 pm
Nothing else to do for GMA here – RESIGN!
No moving on with her at the driving seat.
For peace and prosperity she must go!
sinningsaint
June 28th, 2005 at 4:13 pm
crd_web…
i haven’t had the chance to watch tv last night and hear her apolgy myself. i just read it in the news… it’s everywhere anyway.
i can’t stand looking at her face kasi talaga so buti na lang i didn’t catch her…
tapos naiiyak-iyak pa pala sya…
geesh. nauseous.
maria red
June 28th, 2005 at 5:22 pm
crd_web i didnt know na pusong mamon ka pala. just like sinning saint, i am grateful that i didnt see it last night. di ba sabi ko, her silence is driven by the fear that she might give out more voice samples to match the famous ring tone…and its true indeed.
right, 2 weeks of script-writing and some acting workshops…you saw finished product last night guys…
we dont need her apology, we need the HONORABLE OPTION OF STEPPING DOWN.
Si Garci nga pala, asan na? Ayaw ba nyang mag-apologise din? sa tingin ko, meron nang mga na kidnap and na liquidate na mga tao…based on GArci’s statements….
kaya lang guys, worried ako, kasi it means si NOLI DE CASTRO na ang ating presidente..if ever…..
CAN YOU IMAGINE IT BAYAN?
HELLO!!!!!
CAN YOU IMAGINE IT BAYAN?????
WHAT A NIGHTMARE!!!!!
maria red
June 28th, 2005 at 5:28 pm
so most likely, GMA will step down if she takes the honorable option.but the prob is…noli de castro will take over.
hello bayan. noli de castro…what a nightmare!!!
Rapeke F. Impostor
June 28th, 2005 at 6:17 pm
a lesson from PGMA
Do a henous crime, yung pinaka gabe na!! tapos tell them your sorry, abswelto ka na!! lusot ka na sa batas! ganon n ba ngayon? Tigas ng mukha PGMA, la n bang natitirang kahihiyan sa maliit mong pagkatao, yan ba ang dapat maging panuntunan ng mga kabataan? di bale maka karma ka din!!!! Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha…
P.S.
Mr. Joseph E. Estrada, mag sorry k n din, para laya k n agad hehehehehehe………………
maria red
June 28th, 2005 at 7:01 pm
sorry guys, i didnt intend to send my comment three times. i was bugged with someone named like “karma” blah blah everytime i posted…and i didnt know the result is this. so sorry
maria red
June 28th, 2005 at 7:05 pm
sayang, patay na si Ferdinand Marcos, siguro, pwede din sana sya mag sorry ano? LOL
swerty
June 28th, 2005 at 7:19 pm
bakit nung nahuli ako ng MMDA tapos humingi ako ng sorry, hindi ako pinagbigyan? ang daya naman
pleigh
June 28th, 2005 at 7:21 pm
swerty
magnanakaw lang ang pinapatawad pag nagsorry…hahahaha!!!!
tobebs
June 28th, 2005 at 7:25 pm
Maraming nainis at nagalit sa di-sinserong pag-amin ng pangulo sa national TV kagabi. Yong katulong ng kapitbahay namin, sa tindi ng galit pinagsasampal ang TV, buti na lang di nabasag, Nag-sorry naman sya.
tolitsaus
June 28th, 2005 at 7:32 pm
Gloria and her minions are making a fool of 80 million filipinos. First they denied, then they created the “original” tape with the consent of Ruado, and now after admitting that it was her want everything to forget all about it, kalimutan na lang, as the palace boys had chorused.
Kalimutan na lang ba ang pangloloko sa mga pilipino, kalimutan na lang ba ang mga ginawang pandaraya sa last elections, ang tawag ni Mike Arroyo to help Barbers and Barbers’ call to patotohanin na and then proclaim him asap. Kakalimutan na lang ba natin lahat ito???
Unfortunately, the opposition does not have somebody to pick up the cudgel for them with old politicians around them.
But still we need to correct all of these, start getting back our moral values. And lastly, ipako natin sa krus ang mga taong tulad ni Garcilliano na parang bale wala kung magsabing magpakidnap na isang pamilya.
floyd
June 28th, 2005 at 8:40 pm
they said that GMA’s apology is good enough if only to save the government and our economy from falling down.
in the question of letting a “crime” just go unpunished they countered ‘who would replace the president? Noli? Erap? Jinggoy?’
on the question of snap elections. “can we afford it? we cant afford it! our country is very poor we cannot afford it! besides there are no candidates available to replace the president.”
on the question of GMA’s cheating in the elections. “both parties cheated! even FPJ cheated in the elections also how can we be sure that the next election will not be rigged?”
honestly i dont know how to answer them.
i can only surmise a history being read by our children learning on how criminals being in the form of a president get away or else tolerated because of baseless fears. i hope they never scorn our generation for having been less intrepid in the face of a great challenge, that being the opportunity to change a government and to let a criminal be put to justice, us being the victim.
people say that i am too idealistic that im missing what reality really is. how reality is supposed to work here and now.
its true i am too idealistic, but i believe when filipinos loose their idealism and stop themselves in striving to create a better future on their own then they’d be more than criminals they’d be worse than animals and they truly deserve their condition.
i remember when my mentor told me these hurtful words.
“our generation failed your generation”
i was in High School then but i saw in his eyes the disgust, the pain & the shame of how the stigma would haunt him for the rest of his life.
of how bright minds would rather sit back and live their own lives than make their country’s life better.
fandong
June 28th, 2005 at 9:00 pm
kawawa naman tayo. liar ang presidente natin. she thinks that we are all stupid. para bang napakadali lang na bolahin ang sambayanan. Ano po ba ang dapat natin gawin para mawala na ang salot na ito sa malacañan?
alom niyo may pina[lano na naman ang mga ito. pagalabas ko kanina, napakarami na naman na mga streamers na sinasabing “ayaw ko ng junta, gusto ko democracia”. sino na naman kayang sipsip ang nag finance nito? may linoluto na naman ang mga ito
eliazar_dims
June 28th, 2005 at 9:08 pm
finally, PGMA has broken her silence. she has always been the voice behind the tapes. but like many Filipinos, i am tired of all these. di na natin alam kung ano ba talaga ang totoo? i think no matter what the President says or does, no one will believe her. the opposition will never stop until they will their own president. and whoever that would be, i think he/she would never make a difference.
i am not pro-gma. i don’t want noli to become president either. what are our options? i know there are a lot of intelligent people on this blog, could you give viable options? i don’t want an election. magastos! i’d rather use that money to construct houses. or give it to poor.
please, give some options..
pleigh
June 28th, 2005 at 9:11 pm
i would like to react this commentator or radio personality of dzbb…can’t remember the name, jim maybe….all i know is his program is right after the 24 oras….he argue that the apology of gloria should be forgiven, as to whether he cheated in the election, or what other crime she may have committed….true, we should forgive her and accept her apology…afterall, its our nature as filipinos…to forgive….what really triggered me to react is that he said forgive her and move forward, if i am not mistaken, those who do not accept her apology is a result of politicking…what principle is that??after the whole world heard what she confessed, we managed to let her get away from this mess??it is not fair mr commentator….even if we do not have any option of who will govern this country, she should resign,can we stomach that we have a fraudulent president??….your forgiveness thing is noted, but she should face the consequences…it is useless that we have laws, and the first one who should protect the law, will violate it…mr commentator is comparing the past presidents that they do not apologize to the people as gma did…well, they are not caught cheating in the aelection….marcos, maybe, caught cheating, but the result is edsa revolution….this is my question…the first macapagal president had also an impeachment complaint…did he say sorry??did he apologize??no, because he got away from it….gma apologizes because she has nowhere to go…that i think is the comparison….i really can’t believe this commentator….well, its his view, not the majority of people’s view….member ka siguro ng PR group ng malacanang…good luck sa u…
pleigh
June 28th, 2005 at 9:14 pm
eliazar_dims
kung ayaw mo ng election, wala kang choice kundi sikmurain ang pagmamatigas ng lider lideran natin sa malacanang…sori, can’t think of a better option than her resignation…peace!
strdoc » Blog Archive » Reactions to the President’s statement
June 28th, 2005 at 9:17 pm
[…] lawyer: Bad political maneuver and what Gloria’s resignation would mean? pcij blog: Apology in a can of worms. Hawks and doves. Tina Panganiban-Perez: A lapse in judgement. Jove Francisco: Now wh […]
kapebarako
June 28th, 2005 at 9:19 pm
Did she also apologise for having appointed Garci to the COMELEC? All the hullabaloo understates the fact that it was GMA who handpicked Garcillano for the job despite previous protestations from various victims of his nefarious schemes. He was a well-known operator and this was his top qualification.
timangismyname
June 28th, 2005 at 9:47 pm
kanina sa news sa tv patrol world pag-a-alsabalutin na raw ni gma yung asawa niya, yung anak niya, at yung bayawAK niya…sumama pa siya para masaya. doon na dapat silang mag-anak sa IRAQ o afghanistan para masama sa mga suicide bombers. tutal FAMILY AFFAIR naman ang pangloloko nila sa atin di magsama-sama na silang lahat, walang dapat maiwan!
good riddance ARROYO family. salot kayo!!! humanap kayo ng sarili nyong bansa!!! dahil dito sa pinas isinusuka na kayo!!!
jay cynikho
June 28th, 2005 at 10:11 pm
some people see G.ARROYO’s confession and apology as an act of humility, and as an act courage.
Bulag ako di ko makita yung acts of humility and courage. When you are afraid, deathly afraid of probably losing your head (literally), you must do something, this is courage rooted in cowardice.
To apologize and al the same time say I did no wrong is not humility not even its lowest form; it’s the vilest form of arrogance.
jammer
June 28th, 2005 at 11:00 pm
sorry….
i won fair and square….
d naman si gma ang nangdaya eh…
si gary ang political adviser nya…
si bunye ang spokes man…
si drilon ang back up…
si devenesia ang support group…
armed ni lomibao ng pnp at afp…
backed ni ramos…
supported ng constitution ni davide na ulul.
baka gusto nyo mapapatay lahat at mag sorry lang sila..
so better accept the sorry…
sorry na lang tayo…
Naz
June 28th, 2005 at 11:24 pm
Hmm.. apparantly… theories rased.. the basic thing is – As you noticed.. she was very careful with her words. To the point.. apologizing for talking to a comelec official. many fight to say that it is NOT illegal.. well.. to go on.. she was very carefull not to be specific and she was very based on thinking of being impeached.. etc..etc. Now.. its simple. Again.. another stonewalling. I dont hate her nor do i wish on killing her or something. But I do dislike her actions. Haay… I think a big clean up.. a big.. an unprecidented cleanup will help alot.. that i know.. its going to make a big diffrence.. Lets keep on praying guys..
Godbless..
vcleynes
June 28th, 2005 at 11:36 pm
President Arroyo deserves to be impeached, or if she has delicadeza, she must resign. The COMELEC stands as an independent constitutional body, but Pres. Arroyo’s inappropriate manner of “protecting her vote” constitutes a blatant act of undermining the integrity of that constitutional body, and for herself, a manifestation of consciously failing to uphold the constitution. Her admission, even if followed by an apology, is a bad example to our children. How could we still have a moral president in her person?
CGBacani
June 28th, 2005 at 11:44 pm
After the admission of the Ate Glow sa kanyang tele babad with Garci, the government will do everything so the people will forget the rimg tone. Ah bangungut lang yan. WE would expect Congress to do their job, the military and perhaps even the Supreme Court, if they are called upon to pass judgement on the issue.
First Congress will dismiss the pseudo impeachment case filed by Mr. Lozano.
The military will express their loyalty to the president, Local governments will be asked to pass resolutions of endorsements of Ate Glows innocence and she will be hailed as mother of all honest and hardworking woman. Malamang they will hire a PR agency to do a damage control publicity to avoid the pitfalls of falling trap to the cans of worms.
There will be a revamp in the Comelec. Garci will vanish na parang bula. There will also be confussions and that the military will come out with a scenario that the communist will be taking advantage of the issues.
The business community will laud GMA economic plans and will say, let us move on with GMA!!!!
Malamang magtagal pa ng konti si GMA for lack of credible alternative for her. For sure ayaw naman ng military at business community for Kabayan Noli to take over, so tiis na lang tayo kay Ate Glow.
But one thing is certain, all the economic gains that GMA is trumpeting will all go to waste. She will become an ineffective president. Wala na maniniwala sa kanya. She will lose control of government.
Araw araw kukurutin siya ng kanyang konsyensiya. Pero dedma na lang siya.
Tales of the Unlawyer »
June 29th, 2005 at 12:01 am
[…] ROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE regarding the President’s apology: From Inside PCIJ: “Apology in a can of worms” and “Hawks and doves.” Regarding the second entry, it is interesting […]
rsm
June 29th, 2005 at 12:02 am
ang kapal ng mukha ng presidente,! matapos mag apology eh nanatili pa rin,. mas maganda dana kung afte nyang magsorry eh nagbitiw na sya! kapal!
MISTAH_007
June 29th, 2005 at 12:17 am
APOLOGY NI GLORIA? PEDE SANANG TAGGAPIN EH KUNG BUKAL AT GALING SA PUSO NYA YUNG PAGHINGI NG SORRY KASO HALATANG GALING SA ILONG ANG SORRY NYA AT HINDE SA PUSO…(nyahahah) THATS THE REASON WHY SHE CAN’T DENY THAT SHE’S REALLY THE ONE IN THAT AUDIO TAPE BECAUSE OF HER UNIQUE & DISTINGUISHABLE NASAL VOICE…NGONGO LUMAYAS KA NA DYAN.!!!WALA KA NG K!
jjc1384
June 29th, 2005 at 12:28 am
rsm, mas maganda kung after nung “speech” niya e kumuha siya ng baril at binaril niya sarili niya…malamang mas maraming maawa sa kanya…baka mgiging +1% na rating niya di na -33% kaso nga lang patay na siya! Hahahahaha
eliazar_dims
June 29th, 2005 at 12:34 am
To Pleigh…
Who should then be our president? Pimentel? Ping? Or baka naman gusto mo si Rez? Sino ba ang hindi naglilider – lideran? All of them do it anyway.
I am asking for better options, those which are most beneficial to the people. Puros Gloria resign! na lang naman yata ang bukambibig ng mga tao. Nakakapagod na.
What is happening to our country right now can’t solely be blamed on the president. When we criticize, we make it a point to provide solutions which can help people. Hindi yung salita na lang tayo ng salita…
eliazar_dims
June 29th, 2005 at 12:37 am
To Pleigh
Peace bro..
pong
June 29th, 2005 at 1:05 am
of course it’s not okay to just forget! forgive, oo siguro, pero forget hindi. sakit na ng pilipino ang magi’ng makalimutin, that’s why we’ve elected back marcos cronies and relatives to office. when are we going to break free from this?
isa pa, how can she expect people to follow the laws of the land when she in fact doesn’t?? madam gma, what if we don’t pay our taxes? di ba ipakukulong nyo kami? what about you? don’t you deserve to be chastised as well?
the problem with you, madam gma, is that you don’t put yourself in our shoes (ours – the common taongbayan). what if you, madam gma, took a 1-week vacation from your office and your lifestyle and try working as a carpenter or a mananahi with below minimum wage with no benefits? or maybe try planting rice or paminta for a week.
for your own good, mam, please stop being arrogant.
jammer
June 29th, 2005 at 1:37 am
this is the time when the leftist should step in.. give the government a little knack.
problema e nasa payola na rin ng mga politiko itong mga ito eh.
sayang.
anyway, i also agree with your technique. leave them alone, maguubusan din sila.. and just get the spoils.
Kaya_Man
June 29th, 2005 at 3:50 am
Can of worms? …not only worms ..isama ng lahat ng katulad nito …
This morning in Saudi Arabia … in front page of Saudi Gazette and Arab News .. these are leading English newspaper in Saudi Arabia … banner news nila ang “I’m Sorry” ni GMA (as Atty C said “kevlar-faced midget” – natawa ako dun Atty C) ….
Nakakahiya nga eh.. pati ung Boss ko (He’s a Lebanese and the other one is a Sudanese) alam ung katarandaduhan na ginawa ni “kevlar-faced midget” GMA … he is asking me if all of those things happened in the Phils ….. what a shame…
indio_lawless
June 29th, 2005 at 9:22 am
To Eliazar_Dims :
Allow me to react to what you have posted earlier though I’m not Pleigh nor his/her lawyer :
1.) “What is happening to our country right now can’t solely be blamed on the president.”
Generalization will not work if the main issue is the Presidency. Under our present day Constitution, the President is both the “Head of State” and “Chief Executive”. Thus, we have the so-called doctrine of qualified political agency, which postulates among others that all executive and administrative organizations are adjuncts of the executive department. (Full text of the doctrine may be read at p.285, Bernas’ The 1987 Philippine Constitution a reviewer-primer, 1997). Plainly stated, the buck stops with the Presidency.
2.) “When we criticize, we make it a point to provide solutions which can help people. Hindi yung salita na lang tayo ng salita… “
Non sequitor. The mere fact that our right to freedom of speech is guaranteed by our Constitution (not by GMA) is a first step towards a solution. Granting that the Filipino is all talk and no action, then they can be excused primarily for GMA is doing the same.
And granting that we talk all day, it is erroneous to generalize that we are not thinking nor working for a better solution.
In our present political case, the immediate offered solution for GMA to save her face is to resign.
3.)“I am asking for better options, those which are most beneficial to the people. Puros Gloria resign! na lang naman yata ang bukambibig ng mga tao. Nakakapagod na.”
Every well-meaning Filipino strives to search and work for better options and presumably for the greater common good .
That’s the reason why we have our present Republic today.
But let us also accept the fact that disagreements with various stakeholders may arise, just take for example the call for GMA to resign.
You said “Nakakapagod na.” You are absolutely entitled to your opinion but permit me again to presume that many, if not the silent majority, including myself doesn’t share the same view as yours.
4.)Who should then be our president? Pimentel? Ping? Or baka naman gusto mo si Rez? Sino ba ang hindi naglilider – lideran? All of them do it anyway.
I definitely cannot speak for Pleigh but I do share the view of Condrado de Quiros that “kahit na hardinero ng Malacanang” will do so long as he/she is qualified and is given a mandate by the Filipino electorate to be the President.
Qualified should be read in the context of our basic law which provides “ No person may be elected President unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter, able to read and write, at least forty years of age on the day of the election, and a resident of the Philippines for at least ten years immediately preceding such election.” (Sec.2, Art.VII.1987 Constitution)
In other words, it is for the Filipino electorate,not GMA, to decide who will be the next President.
This time, it is hope that every Juan should use his head.
Thank you for your kind indulgence.
fbvdloo
June 29th, 2005 at 1:14 pm
Today I saw parts of Pres Bush’s speech for a bunch of army people in the States. The strong republic/army rhetoric, the ridiculous/hilarious/pathetic one-liners and the same finishing line of their speeches with God Bless made me wonder whether GMA and Bush are using the same speechwriters.
For PCIJ, thanks for the amazing work and I am sure I will be able to create a sequel to my MA thesis out of this (my previous MA thesis was titled The Election and Presidency of Joseph Estrada: A Case Study of Philippine Politics. (www.thephilippines.org)
Bastiaan
pleigh
June 29th, 2005 at 4:15 pm
to eliazar_dims:
then whose to blame?those filipinos voted for gma??it is really not fair if we put the blame on them for they once trusted her…
from eliazar_dims –>When we criticize, we make it a point to provide solutions which can help people. Hindi yung salita na lang tayo ng salita…
and –>I am asking for better options, those which are most beneficial to the people. Puros Gloria resign! na lang naman yata ang bukambibig ng mga tao. Nakakapagod na.
from me –>let’s not forget the our great heroes who fought for freedom against oppression of the spaniards…to note, si dr jose rizal ay di napagod sa pagsulat para lang sabihin o ipahiwatig sa ating mga kababayan ang ginagawang pagalipusta sa atin ng mga kastila noon…you have used “salita”, it is an expression, right??same as “writing”, also an expression….the reason for people express it through “salita” is because it is the very cheap form of expressing, if i may say…rather than write for it, nagaksaya ka lang ng tinta at papel, di mo pa alam kung mababasa ng maramaing tao ito…kung me pera ka, pwede mapublish ito through newspapers, magazines, or even books…but still, you have to spend some, unlike talking, you only use your voice…
from eliazar_dims –>Who should then be our president? Pimentel? Ping? Or baka naman gusto mo si Rez? Sino ba ang hindi naglilider – lideran? All of them do it anyway.
from me –>pag tumakbo ka, boboto kita, provided that you do not cheat… 😀
p.s. wag mo kukunin spokesperson si bunye kung ayaw mo mapahamak…peace again.. 😀
micante
June 29th, 2005 at 4:25 pm
i agree that one’s admission of his/her wrongdoing is noble and brave. but is much NOBLE and BRAVE to face the consequences of your sins….
IStep down please and let the people of the Philippines elect their new leader. One that the people will support because they believe in his/her integrity and support his/her dreams for the Filipino nation.
gowEE
June 29th, 2005 at 5:17 pm
ATTENTION : LAWYER OF HUBERT WEBB.
Please consult the advisers of ATE GLOW so that you can also close the CHAPTER OF VISCONDE MASSACRE.
strdoc » Blog Archive » Reactions to the President’s statement
June 29th, 2005 at 7:09 pm
[…] inq7.net: Worried about Noli. sassy lawyer: Bad political maneuver and what Gloria’s resignation would mean? pcij blog: Apology in a can of worms. Hawks and doves. Tina Panganiban-Perez: A lapse in judgement. Jove Francisco: Now what? disini: No legal implication. mlq3: We must decide. Punzi: It’s me. So what? […]
tome cruz
June 29th, 2005 at 11:49 pm
We did nothing to stop her from running again when she said she wouldn’t. We did nothing when we all found out the she and the people around her started looting on day one. We’re really doing nothing since all these talk about the tapes started, right?
So guys, let’s all just shut up and bend over. They’re going to enter us from behind again tomorrow.
Wilson
June 30th, 2005 at 12:39 am
If my memory serves me right, the economy slipped even much deeper during her watch since 2001. If so, by what basis can she claim capability to pull the country out of the mire and quicksand (especially, given the current political situation and its probable scenarios)?
It takes more than a program to move a country. What is needed is able leadership; and socio-economic progress will acquire a life of its own. This is how and what people respond to, not just a bunch of numbers and dreams — anywhere in the world!
There are sufficient historical evidences to prove that heavy taxations (defined as taking away from people without due and corresponding service deliveries) choke economies and destroy governments. Where are our scholars?
eliazar_dims
June 30th, 2005 at 3:14 am
To indio_lawless: I do understand the constutition and I read De Quiros’ articles. Let us be realistic about two things, 1) i don’t think either you or De Quiros would ever vote for a “hardinero ng Malacanang” for a President and 2) if there are people who really want another EDSA, it would have already started by now.
To phleigh: I don’t think I am meant for politics. Masusuka lang ako dyan.
Peace!
jammer
June 30th, 2005 at 3:42 am
Great Work PCIJ…
kaya lang… can you put gma in a can of worms? para naman maramdamamn niya ang kasalukuyang kalagayan ng mga pilipino.
apollo
June 30th, 2005 at 5:32 am
kaasar ano?
wala kang magawa kundi tumanga sa ere at maghintay ng sagot mula sa langit….kelan ba darating ang kinabukasang hinihintay mo? mapapatalsik mo ba ang duwendeng itim sa malacanang?….hindi dumarating ang kasagutan dahil sa mas malakas ang timbre ng duwende sa kalabang si ‘taning [siyempre #1 admirer siya ngayon ng duwende]…
nagngingit ka at para bang gusto mong mag-untog ng ulo ng isa sa mga aswang na pulis na nagpipigil sa karapatang mong iparamdam sa duwende sa malacanang ang nalalaman ng puso mo…alam mo na “no permit-no rally” ang style nila ngayon ….. pero tiim kamao mo pa ring nilalandas ang avenida at sumisigaw ka na lang para mapaalala sa kapwa mo tao ang tunay na nangyari at ang mga bagay na ninanais mo…
heto pa ang ilang kaakibat na mga tikbalang ng duwende at nagsasabi na “i-impeach natin ang kosa natin sabay block ng movement…bukod pa hindi na makakapagpasa ng impeachment ang oposisyon”… para kang lalong napatanga sa kawalan ng moralidad ng mga taong akala mo’y tutulungan ka sa puntong ito na me duwendeng nagpapangap na presidente…..
meron pang isang salamangkero na nagpapangap na tagapagpalaganap ng hustisya ang hanggang ngayon eh nananakot na ikukulong ka sa hawlang ipinagawa niya dahil may-ari ka ng sikat na tugtugin ngayon ang “hello garci”…. nakakatakot ano baka makindatan ka minsan eh magising ka na lang na para kang nilagay sa garapon….alam mo namang ang salamangkero’y walang kamuwangan sa tamang pagpalaganap ng batas at ang nai-isip lang eh ang pagtatakip sa duwendeng itim na nagbibigay sa kanya ng kapangyarihan….
meron pang ilang aswang na nagsa-baboy na mangangalakal na umi-ire at umo-oink-oink ng pagkalakas-lakas “she’s already sorry, we have to accept it. she has shown courage. its time to get the investors in”… kitang-kita mo kung bakit tumaba at bumundat ang mga tarantadong ito na uma-apila na huwag mong maintindihan na gusto rin nilang lamunin ang kokonti at kakarampot mong kinikita sa araw-araw…..
meron pang mga kapre na pinamumunuan ng isang babaeng me tama sa utak na lumilitanya ng “she did nothing wrong.there’s no impeachable offense here”….nagiisip ka tuloy na sa laki ng mga kapreng ito eh paanong nagkaroon ng napakaliit na utak…. umilag ka ng matindi dahil baka madaganan ka….
sumasakit na ang ulo mo…dahil rindido ka na… ayaw nilang sabihin ang tutoo at talagang pinagsisikapang pilitin na hiluhin at lituhin ang natitirang senyal ng iyung sariling kaisipan….
tapos hindi maalis at laging bumubulagang pabigla sa iyung kamuwangan ang isang maliit na telon na biglang nagluwa ng mukha ng duwendeng itim na mukhang napanood mo sa “Lord of the Rings” at lalong umiigting ang sinabi niyang walang sinseridad na “i’m sorry”… habang unti-unti ka niyang nililinlang… may palabok pa at nilalagyan pa niya ng “at great sacrifice to our family’s happiness”….para kang kimukulam dahil alam mong ito’s puro kasinungalingan at para sa pamilya ng duwende’y ito’y bakasyon lang sa lupain ng mga puti kung saan itinatago niya ang kanyang mga ginto’t kayamanang kinamkam sa kakarampot na pagasa ng mga kababayan mong itinaya sa jueteng at sa kabang yaman ng lupain ng iyung lahi….
o, nasaan ang kinabukasan aking hinihintay? kelan ko ba mapapatalsik ang duwendeng itim na nang-agaw sa palasyo ng masa sa malacanang? – mga tanong na lalong magpapapanting ng tenga mo sa bawat araw na lumalaban ka… hinihiling mo minsan eh tamaan ng kidlat ang duwende…. huwag kang mag-alala… hindi ka naman nagi-isa sa layunin mo… at sa bawat araw na nagdadaan eh dumarami pa rin namang mga kalahi mo ang unti-unting nagigising sa katotohanang ipinipilit itago ng mga buktot na maligno sa likod ng kanilang mga ngiti…. huwag kang matakot….unti-unti namang lumalakas ang mga bulong… inot-inot na parang ihip ng hangin na unti -unting lumalaki at dumadagundong…andito kami… kasama ka… tayo’y nagkakaisa sa layunin…nagkasama para isigaw at gawan ng paraan para “PATALSIKIN ANG DUWENDENG ITIM MULA SA PALASYO NG MASA – ANG MALACANANG!!!”
:p
… tawa ka naman…. kelangan nating tumawa at ngumiti sa mga panahong ito na ubod ng dilim…
juju
June 30th, 2005 at 6:22 am
Impeach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GMA.
indio_lawless
June 30th, 2005 at 11:16 am
To eleazar_dims :
Just a quick rebuttal, with your kind permission:
1) You wrote “ I don’t think either you or De Quiros would ever vote for a “hardinero ng Malacanang” for a President, ” and
With outmost courtesy to De Quiros, I will defer interpreting his convictions and allow me to concentrate on the goad of my first rebuttal.
Given a QUALIFIED “hardinero ng Malacanang” will run for President, my vote will go for him/her, though your own skepticism as to my motives will say otherwise.
Is this realistic? Yes, I may say. Our Constitution had clearly erased any shades of elitism in the qualifications of the Presidency by stating it simply, among other qualifications, that the candidate should be able to read and write. Thus, on the presumption that there will be a SNAP ELECTION, and assuming again that I will be made to choose among the array of the candidate of traditional politicians and my unlikely candidate, Manong Juan, you have already a hint to whom I will vote.
I’m certain that my Manong Juan is a qualified presidential candidate but it is up to the elite to say the contrary.
2) “ If there are people who really want another EDSA, it would have already started by now.”
Don’t you think so? Physical and circumstantial evidence will obviously tickle your mind if you care to probe deep enough. It is just a matter of using our common sense, but unfortunately, it eludes us as always.
I rest my case.
INSIDE PCIJ: Stories behind our stories » FAQs on anti-wiretapping law
June 30th, 2005 at 3:38 pm
[…] AS we have pointed out, last Monday’s televised message of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo failed to address a lot of issues and only raised more questions. While she admitted that she ”had conversations with many people, including a Comelec official” and that the phone call was a “lapse in judgment,” Pres. Arroyo neither confirmed nor denied that: […]
pleigh
June 30th, 2005 at 4:05 pm
to eleazar_dims :
you wrote –>To phleigh: I don’t think I am meant for politics. Masusuka lang ako dyan.
same here…but we are meant to protect our country, right?yup, nakakasuka lang talaga jan, but still, there’s room for improvement…malay natin, malamang, and i pray, sana buhay pa tayo pag nangyari ang pagbabago…
and to those who insist on saying lets pray harder sa mga nangyayari sa bayan natin…i honestly agree with you, pero meron din tayo kasabihan “nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa”…kung dasal lang tayo ng dasal, walang mangyayari until me gawin tayo…that is just my personal opinion…
peace to all…
ninialyn
June 30th, 2005 at 4:50 pm
an apology or whatever others think of it… heck! It’s the same banana ADMISSION and it goes with YOU WANT MORE?
And so it goes… dig’n dig. Enough! Then you would question Morality. Politics
Waaaaa… politics and morality. Where the heck could we go from that.
I suggest – lets change our generation!
gandhi
June 30th, 2005 at 5:31 pm
Mahirap na magresign si Ate Glo, me anting-anting kasi sya, DI SYA TINATABLAN NG HIYA hehehehehehehehe
Paul R.
June 30th, 2005 at 5:42 pm
When GMA said, “I was anxious to protect my votes and during that time had conversations with many people, including a Comelec official.”, GMA also UNWITTINGLY admitted the fact that at the time of the calls, she was anxious to protect her votes, as if a lot of things (like rigging of the results) “can still happen” that may affect the election results. That’s why she was anxious at that time. This is contrary to her addition that “the election has already been decided and the votes counted”. The election is not yet decided because the canvassing (a decisive part of the election) is not yet over. This is where most of the cheating was done by Garcillano and his team of more than 40 (electoral) thieves. GMA (on the wiretapped conversation) hinted on a desired lead of “more than one M.,overall”, which Garci assured saying, “Pipilitin ma’am natin ‘yan.”. Those dialogues are evidence of a consensual conspiracy to cheat and rig the elections results.
noelet
June 30th, 2005 at 8:23 pm
on rich___ong,
nice one.
pero yung angulo ng inner-circle conspiracy collection? Kasi if its to blackmail your old buddies for money and knowing kung gaano kabigat ang implications nyan ay its a guaranteed that the president and his allies will succumb to the blackmail.
Imagine si Barbers nga can easily produce 2M to win? What’s more when your presidency is at stake? I think GMA and allies can easily produce 100M for that.
Mahirap ang ganyang HIGH-PROFILE blackmail. Kasi kayo kayo lang yan dba? And with the power and influence of Malacanang… what would be your reasons for blackmail aside from money? With such resources as the notorious Militay, PNP and NBI… do you think you can escape death blackmailing Malacanan?
And if it is really that case… somebody from the inside did blackmail the presidency. Where is the offender now? He/she should come out by any form, be an man or an organization, to support the downfall of the person you are trying to blackmail. Dba?
Pero napakahirap talaga isipin, with a lot at stake, na may magtangka mangblackmail kay GMA.
Even if its a failed blackmail dapat naagapan na yan ng Malacanan. Kun mayroong blackmail attempt inubos na agad nyan ang mga sangkot bago pa makarating sa media. Pero as you see nakarating sa media without any news of such issues as someone or something na nakakairingan ni PGMA.
Today its just between the tapes and the president.
Kasi kun may katotohanan na may nagblackmail o failed black mail. Surely, they will be hunted to death. And they know there is no escape but to surface. kaya kun mayroon man nangblackmail lalantad yan to encapsulate the protection of the masses.
Or it could be a little bit of carelessness on the part of ISAFP playing with a techie toy that they seem to have little maturity to use and understand.
If I have an super techie X-RAY GLASSES I will surely use it to peep girls on the street. Or if I have superman’s hearing power, I will listen to the most popular people’s secrets.
My guess is that ISAFP had just acquired this device, this wiretapping instrument at the time of MAY 2004 election. So they playfully use it on election day and succeeding days. They could have hours and hours of taped conversation at their warehouse by now. But the Garci tapes are the ones that proved to VERY much invaluable.
Public discovery of the tapes could have been a playful joke also. An ISAFP agent playing it to someone just for fun… and so on and so on… until such time that it was picked-up by someone who knows the real issue behind it.
Gloria is a cheat.
rich___ong
June 30th, 2005 at 9:08 pm
noelet,
The blackmail succeeded. The juicy post were ceded. The ally who planned the wiretapped can not easily be pushed around and silenced by Malacanang.
noelet
June 30th, 2005 at 9:31 pm
Ganun na lang ba yun? You just cannot be pushed because you have the tape? Isn’t the purpose of blackmail to solicit money? So if that happen… what was the condition?
Generally on a case like this, it goes, OK this is your money… is this the last copy of the tape? Then the transaction continues. But if the tape surfaced again then by all means death will hunt this blackmailer by fooling his old comadres.
You said the ally who planned cannot be easily pushed? But I don’t see any pushing going on. Only Samuel Ong bears the closest ownership to the tape but he’s not with ISAFP. and Ong is an ally of Erap, right? That destroys the inner-circle scenario.
No other personality has come out. Being the sole source of the issued tape that could cause one small innocent girl her presindency, shouldn’t he or she be in great danger? Still no pushing… Aba e kahit na siguro matagal na kayo magkaibigan
rich___ong
June 30th, 2005 at 11:49 pm
noelet,
Before the tape reached the press and public this was presented to Malacanang. Money was not asked but a goverment post was ceded to the ally’s nominies. The Ally will never be afraid of the PNP, NBI or AFP so Malacanang wasn’t able to do anyting but agree with reluctance.If you will allow me to ask for your email i will give you the ally
jammer
July 1st, 2005 at 12:06 am
rich___ong….
kahit dito mo na ilagay yung ally…. thats the lead we need.
then we start our research…
rich___ong
July 1st, 2005 at 8:34 am
el tabako
DingG
July 1st, 2005 at 10:17 am
Ms. Coronel puts it accurately: GMA’s apology does come in the face of a can, nay, a truck-full of worms. But may i point out yet a more troubling aspect about the4 3 hour long Gloriagate recordings.
If these were wiretapped during the latter part of May through to the latter part of June 2004 are we to believe that this is the only “body of work” of ISAFP’s MIG21? Where is the rest of the Gloriagate recordings which cover the period immediately before, during, and after May 4, 2004?
Obviously, a close hearing of the wiretaps which have been “surfaced”, if we are to believe, by military elements disgruntled over Gen Abu’s “clipping” of the ISAFP’s wings, show us that we are hearing the various dramatis personae already in the middle of their conversations, and activities, with regard the elections.
Thinking about this last night, I had to ask myself the question: if the 3 hour wiretap was leaked to the opposition for the obvious purpose of enabling them to use it against GMA, why did the military “leakers” not release the entire “body of work”.
It is because they felt they could still use as leverage against Gen. Abu, and by extension, against their own “commander-in-chief”?
Am also puzzled by how the COMELEC has not told the public abhout its actions. It was apparently Comm. Garcillano’s official phone at the COMELEC which was bugged? what about that of Chairman Abalos and the other high officials of the independent Constitutional office which is the COMELEC?
Finally, Pres. Arroyo, by her own admission, was actually a “victim” of the wiretap. Why did she not address this point in her Janaury 27 statement to the nation?
Hindi ko po alam ang sagot sa mga tanong na ito. Until we find the answers to these questions, even if GMA does resign or is removed from office, our society will not find stability much less peace.
I hope Ms. Sheila gets to read this blog. Also paging my old friend, Luz Rimban.
brulyo
July 1st, 2005 at 10:57 am
DingG,
If you have listened to the tape, it was Garcillano’s cellular phone that was intercepted. You will find out that Garcillano was mobile as he was in the PICC, Bayview, going to Baguio, Manila Hotel, Hyatt Hotel, going to Jade Hotel, Robinson’s, etc.
We could not make a conclusion why the other tape was not released or leaked. Wala sigurong opportunity. Ang tanong: Kung ganun kagrabe yung nakuha na naintercept, ano kaya yung iba na hindi naintercept or di nahagip ng “wiretappers”? It is no longer a case of the wiretapping etc but the substance of the conversation: that GMA as “President” cheated and tried to influence the outcome of the election
noelet
July 1st, 2005 at 3:49 pm
DingG, in my opnion GMA could be a victim via the antiwiretapping law. She is not a victim because somebody oppress her. Let us be clear on that. She can choose to file a complaint against the tape. But as president and your immoral behavior being heard in those tapes, you just cant pretend to be a victim.
The general conclusion is that Mrs. Arroyo was not a victim… the filipino people is.
noelet
July 1st, 2005 at 3:53 pm
The CD was not burned out of limited oppurtunity. Mind you it was wiretapped on May 2004.
It come out today.
Is more than a year a very limited time?
noelet
July 1st, 2005 at 4:00 pm
rich__ong,
so el tabako is the pasaway in the inner circle of GMA? he is also the blackmailer?
noelet
July 1st, 2005 at 4:07 pm
I still think that ISAFP is not a one agent body. Would you really think that it was only Garcilliano who was being wiretapped?
No!
The problem of wiretapping is that its useless to prove a case. They have many other subjects being wiretapped, most probably. But they can’t use it in court to prove a criminal.
But then again the Garci tapes also can’t prove a criminal in its own capacity… but the tapes has shown a criminal act.
This is what the foolish-hearted supporters of Ms. Arroyo says that the tapes can’t prove GMA cheated.
But thats in court. And you can’t push ordinary court to declare that there was cheating via this tapes. Even the Presidential Electoral Tribunal would surely snub these as evidence.
So let the people judge it. It pretty easy to understand in those tapes that cheating really did took place. The duty now of a morally upright filipino is to spread the truth that this administration kept blocking.
ginnylimbo
July 1st, 2005 at 4:36 pm
madam president, hearing and reading the transcript of your conversation with “hello garci”, how can you say “im sorry” or “i apologize”… i just heard the 32-min audio cd yesterday and have read the transcript of samuel ong’s audio tape – all i can say is its not far from truth, knowing you… im not an fpj advocate but i sympathize with his followers simply because of their strong belief that they were not given a fair play in the election… when GMA assumed office when she tookover from erap’s admin, she was interviewed by Korina Sanchez and there she claimed that it was the Supreme Court’s own volition/decision in proclaiming her as a president, declaring erap out of his post (i marked this day because i know Supreme Court will not move motu proprio especially in this kind of situation)- adverse to the decision passed by no less than the Supreme Court which claims that it was GMA’s own volition/move to proclaim her as president and declare erap out… so, which is which, PGMA? who’s telling the truth? how many times have you told us a lie? so who’s sorry now?
noelet
July 1st, 2005 at 5:16 pm
According to mareng Winnie Monsod… it is alright that cheating happened as long as the numbers didn’t affect the final outcome of the count.
Would you agree?
Ika namn ni Mike Defensor – kahit kay FPJ pa ang lahat ng boto sa Mindanao panalo pa rin si GMA.
So the issue of cheating can be buried by a simple addition?
noelet
July 1st, 2005 at 5:35 pm
And sabi ni Bunye hindi raw nila kakasuhan si Susan. Ang sabi naman ni Justice Chief hindi bagay sa isang magandang babae ang nasa kulungan.
Pa-pogi effect pa.
Kaya kayo Press Sec Bunye at Si Raul-o Gonzales, wag na kayo magtapang-tapangan. Takot lang kayong kasuhan si Susan at baka mapadali ang PEOPLE POWER sa Malacanang.
username
July 2nd, 2005 at 4:14 am
can’t anyone figure out what’s happening?
FPJ have a legitimate complain and kung mabubuhay sya magpapatuloy ang protesta nya and lalabas ang ebidensya na merong dayaan sa eleksyon, kaya sya inalis kagad sa eksena.
Hindi na pinayagan nang SC court na alamin kung me dayaan man o hindi kasi dead na ung makikinabang?! Pano na ung taong bayan na naghahanap nang katotohanan. Merong legitimate complain dapat pinayagan man lang nila ituloy ang process kasi meron namang legitimate na kapalit si FPJ in the person of the duly elected vice president whoever it is.
Bakit ngayon lang lumabas ang CD eh May 2004 pa un…
Kasi naiinip na ung mga taong gustong maging Parliamentary ang type of government kaya lumabas na ung CD.. Baka si DeVenecia nagpalabas kasi sya ang siguradong mananalong PM pag nagkaganun na nga. Ang tigas kasi nang ulo ni GMA ayaw nya push ang gusto ni JDV.
It’s so obvious kung bakit ayaw bitawan ang pagiging President nang Republic kasi it’s a BIG business… wala ring gustong magpaalis sa kanya na mga bigtime kasi nakikinabang sila.
At pag nagkaron nang TOTOONG imbestigasyon mawawala lahat nang nasa gobyerno kasi puro sila corrupt.
Para naring sinabi natin na ung MRT ay sira ang mga poste lahat kaya dapat palitan lahat… ang mga pinoy nagkamot nang ulo’t nagsabing bayaan na natin yan nagagamit naman eh… tsk tsk tsk….
ngayon nagaaway ung mga magkakampi sa taas para sa Presidency inip na kasi ung taong gustong maging Prime Minister. Nakikisali naman ang opposition sa ingay… para namang pasasalihin sila ni FVR, JDV at GMA sa laro nila….
sana magising na ko sa bangungot na to at umayos na takbo nang Pinas….. nakakainis kasi na merong politikong nag mamadali sa traffic na hinahawi ang daan para mauna sya… Ang KAPAL nang MUKHA pare pareho lang namang nagmamadali pero sila special treatment… kelan kaya gagalang ang mga Buwayang Politiko sa taong dapat nyang pinagsisilbihan…
citadel
July 2nd, 2005 at 4:53 pm
The calculated risk taken by PGMA in issuing her apology for lapse of judgment is turning out badly for PGMA as events unfold. People are not buying her story. Those who convinced her to break her silence have miscalculated the readiness of the people to forgive and move on.
What then will happen? VP Noli as President? Ouster of both PGMA and VP Noli will pave the way for SP Drilon to assume Presidency in acting capacity. Congress must call special elections for President and VP not earlier than 45 nor more than 60 days from such call. Third scenario would be for VP Noli to resign first, appoint a more competent member of congress as VP and once he or she is confirmed by majority of both houses of congress voting separately, PGMA resigns and the new VP assumes Presidency. These are the scenarios under the 1987 Constitution.
Without classifying VP Noli as incompetent to assume the Presidency, he has a lot to explain as far as electoral fraud is concerned. Why did he join the ticket? Was he enticed because he was assured of victory because of the electoral fraud machine already installed in COMELEC? Did he rely solely on PGMA’s organization? We suspect he was aware of what was going on.
COMELEC says it needs P4Billion to conduct snap elections. Holding snap elections without cleansing COMELEC of its filthy corrupt suckers of rent seekers will not produce fair, clean, credible , orderly and honest elections.
It is difficult to perceive of a carrot that can be acceptable to VP Noli for him to resign ahead of PGMA to allow a new VP appointee .
Outside of the 1987 Constitution, a revolutionary government will not be limited by due process and security of tenure principles. Replacing those corrupt officials in the three branches of Government would be easier. Forfeiting in favor of the State ill gotten gains would be speedier .Changing the structure of government would also be a necessary result of such. Two things are needed, acceptance by a greater majority of our people and the military. Secondly, acceptance by the international community on condition that the revolutionary government is only transitional and will not violate basic human rights as found in the UN Charter and the word of God.
There is no other way to end this thing.
jay cynikho
July 2nd, 2005 at 5:35 pm
dear CITADEL
there is a way to end this thing, haven’t you read here about the IGCRP, an interim council composed of people’s representative to provide the paradigm shift. LOOK FOR IT AND POLISH IT. PLEASE.
username
July 2nd, 2005 at 5:40 pm
mga bobo or sadyang gusto nga pabagsakin si GMA nang mga adviser nya. Sino matino maniniwala sa ginawa nilang manauver this past months.
Bunye is the spokeperson of the president/executive branch kaya kung ano sabihin nya un na din ang sinabi nang president/executive branch.
NAGSINUNGALING sya den NAGSINUNGALING ULIT (Gary kausap ni president hindi COMELEC official) tapos si GMA nag salita na COMELEC official kausap nya.
Meaning sinasadya nila para maging Parliamentary na tayo at ang mga Buwayang Congressman ay manatili sa pwesto… kainis…
kainis kasi wala akong magawa and lahat nang pangdaraya ay napaka LANTARAN at ALAM nang karamihan sa gobyerno.
Nakakainis kasi naka ngiti pa si JDV at DRILON sa mga TV interviews parang meron nanamang panlalamang na mangyayari.
Nakakainis kasi d nanalo binoto ko (LACSON for President) kung nanalo lang sana sya tanggal na mga buwaya sa Executive Branch. Supreme Court at COMELEC
manggagawa
July 4th, 2005 at 11:23 am
naging mas malakas ang pagkakaisa ng mga pilipino na natuloy sa people power ng ang panawagan ay galing sa isang tao na naagrabiyado… si CORY AQUINO. an people power ay, kug titingnan ay dahil din sa sigaw niya ng katarungan… ang HIRAP kay CORY, may amnesia na rin yata katulad ni ARROYO…
si ARROYO, said… I WILL NOT RUN AS PRESIDENT… then I WILL RUN.. which led to I WILL RUN THE ELECTION and be sure to RUN THE PRESIDENCY.. hay SORRY. sorry TAYONG MGA PILIPINO kung hanggang ngayon may mga katulad ni ARROYO at mga KAPIT TUKO sa KASAGANAHANG TINATAMASA at SA KAPAYARIHANG akala nila ay walang katapusan……………. si CORY naman, I WILL TAND BY THE CONSTITUTION… eh kay ERAP binalewala ang CONSTITUTION. … PEOPLE POWER IS FOR THE MANY and NOT FOR THE SELF…. eh di ba for the SELF DIN NYA ang EDSA I kaya nga naging PRESIDENTE DIN SYA… di nakapagtataka may nagmana sa kanya…MUKHA ATANG KASAMA NA SI CORY SA “can of worms ng administrasyong ARROYO”.
…………….BAKIT KASI DAPAT PAG MAKIAALAM ANG MGA NAGING DATING PANGULO NATIN.. TAPOS NA PO ANG PANAHON NINYO…
SA MGA PILIPINO… wakasan na natin ang PANAHON ng PEKENG PANGULO na si GMA (sabi nga ng isang kasama natin… Greedy Manipulator Arrogant)…..
sabi ko naman….. may mga G – inago’t
M – inaniobra na
A – y nananahimik pa
tayong mga kapwa PILIPINO…
GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO… PEKENG PRESIDENTE… ALIS DYAN…
carl_jezreel
July 4th, 2005 at 2:18 pm
In my humble opinion, it is best to completely hear from Mr. Garcillano what had occur on those significant days where this issue started. I believe, what Atty. Paguia and Atty. Ong revealed tapes has something “juicy information” omitted, to protect their own masters. All we want today is the whole truth.
We live in both world, physical and spiritual, within the matrix of laws, the constitution. Let Filipinos abide their Philippine Constitution, and, let Believers abide the rule of its constitution, the Holy Bible or the Holy Quran.
citadel
July 6th, 2005 at 12:50 pm
Where is the MIDDLE CLASS in this crisis situation? Political elite is sharply divided, business elite dont care who runs government for as long as their profits are out of harm’s way, body of Christ ( Roman Catholics, Evangelical and Born again , INC, Dating Daan) is also sharply divided, there are no perceived cracks in the military, US is on a wait and see mode, intellectuals are having a bout of conscience ., the masses are starving . Wow Gloria will be able to ride this one out.She is God’s gift to the filipinos!!!( joke joke joke )
maria red
July 6th, 2005 at 2:02 pm
THIS IS INTERESTING FOLKS—
NBN Teledyaryo yesterday: Mike Defensor issued a statement na “DINAYA DIN KAMI”…. analyse it folks…
dinaya DIN kami…. (kami=administration)
dinaya DIN kami is another way of saying
NANDAYA DIN KAMI….
uh-oh…Mikey…you should have reviewed your script!!!
maria red
July 6th, 2005 at 2:05 pm
mike defensor should have said it
DINAYA KAMI….
if the administration is not guilty.
INSIDE PCIJ: Stories behind our stories » “Yung dagdag, yung dagdag”
July 13th, 2005 at 3:21 pm
[…] The content of those phone calls was previously reported in this blog. Here is the transcript and audio of the “dagdag” phone call. Conversation between Gary (V. Garcillano) and an unidentified female believed to be GMA (Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) on 31 23:17 hotel May 2004 […]
INSIDE PCIJ: Stories behind our stories » “Yung dagdag, yung dagdag”
July 13th, 2005 at 3:40 pm
[…] The content of those phone calls was previously reported in this blog. Here are the transcript and enhanced audio of the “dagdag” phone call. Conversation between Gary (V. Garcillano) and an unidentified female believed to be GMA (Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) on 31 23:17 hotel May 2004 […]
INSIDE PCIJ: Stories behind our stories » Welcome back, Garci
November 27th, 2005 at 11:31 pm
[…] On June 27, Mrs. Arroyo, in apologizing to the nation for a "lapse in judgment," admitted to have made an "improper" phone call to an election official in her desire to "protect" her vote. In his interview with ABS-CBN senior correspondent, Henry Omaga-Diaz, Garcillano said he spoke to the president on May 24, 2004. "The President was asking why her advantage over [Fernando Poe Jr.] had been reduced 892, 000. That was May 24." […]
INSIDE PCIJ: Stories behind our stories » Garci’s fashion (and other) statements
November 29th, 2005 at 9:04 pm
[…] 3. He only discussed "procedural matters" with President Arroyo and there was nothing illegal or improper about their conversations. This statement somewhat contradicts the president’s June 27 "I am sorry" speech when she apologized to the nation for having an "improper" conversation with an election official. Although Arroyo did not name the official or say what they talked about, Garcillano’s statement appears to confirm that he was the official alluded to in that speech (unless the president had spoken to someone else at the Comelec). […]