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| ON THE OTHER HAND |
| Garci�s Vanishing Act By Antonio C. Abaya Written Aug 21, 2005 For the Standard Today, Aug. 23 issue Two or three weeks before the official news broke out, word had already leaked out in media that controversial former Comelec commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, the �Garci� in the �Hello, Garci!� tapes, had slipped out of the country to Singapore on board a Subic Air Learjet on July 14. So nobody had a heart attack and no one�s eyes popped out of their sockets when the Department of Foreign Affairs finally broke the news that Garci had indeed flown the coop for Singapore, as confirmed by a report from Singapore civil aviation officials, and that he then supposedly flew the next day to destinations unknown to them. (Philippine Daily Inquirer, August 18.) This is, of course, horse manure. The Singapore officials know where Garci flew to, which can easily be verified from the passenger manifests of all the aircraft that flew out of Singapore on July 15 or 16. The DFA just didn�t ask, or if they asked and were given an answer, did not reveal the answer. That Singapore memo has never been made public in its entirety, only quoted in excerpts. It is all part of the government policy not to officially admit to know where Garci is or was, a policy that has been in place long before Garci escaped. It is now admitted that Garci flew out from the Manila Domestic Airport civil aviation hangars on board a Subic Air Learjet, with registration number RP-C1426, supposedly on a maintenance check-up flight, and landed in Seletar, a little known airstrip in Singapore. That was obviously a deliberate effort to cloak his departure and arrival in secrecy. Garci escaped one day after the Lower House issued a �strongly worded sub-poena, regarded as a de facto arrest warrant� on July 13, to appear before the House committee investigating the Hello, Garci! tapes. Subic Air, it has been revealed, is a company owned by Palawan tycoon Jose �Pepito� Alvarez, a known Gloria ally, and the plane that Garci apparently flew out in was piloted by Capt. Art Santos, said to be Alvarez�s most trusted personal pilot, who at age 61 broke some regulations by flying internationally past the mandatory ceiling age of 60. The only other persons on board the Learjet, according to the plane�s manifest, were co-pilot Willy Bautista and mechanic Ben Haballa. Garci does not appear on that manifest. Air Transportation Office chief Nilo Jatico said in a phone interview with the Inquirer that if Garci was indeed a passenger but was not declared in the manifest, this would be a violation of international aviation rules on the part of the pilot and the operator of the aircraft and makes them liable for sanctions. Sanctions such as cancellation or suspension of the pilot�s license and the operator�s permit. Immigration Commissioner Alipio Fernandez Jr., for his part, chimed in that the BID had no record of Garci leaving the country on July 14. Garci�s name would have appeared on a passenger manifest even on a chartered flight. Even if Garci managed to evade immigration formalities in Manila, his destination (Singapore) would still have required an Exit stamp on his passport from Philippine Immigration. So how did Garci escape? Elementary, my dear Watson. The Learjet most likely had two sets of official passenger manifest, one with passenger Virgilio Garcillano listed in it, to satisfy Singapore immigration and aviation officials; the other without Garci, to mislead Philippine media and other busybodies trying to get to the bottom of this. As for the Exit immigration stamp on Garci�s passport, that would be the easiest thing to fake in this country renowned for fake passports, fake driver�s licenses, fake diplomas, fake visas, fake dollars, fake US treasury bonds, even fake US social security cards. And if the magic was performed by a ranking Immigration official, then there was no need to fake anything at all. The official BID Exit stamp could be borrowed for a few minutes and Garci�s passport stamped in the privacy of that official�s office, with no one the wiser for it. So who did all this? The August 19 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer banner-headlined that �BI Man Eyed in Garci Flight�, referring to one Teddy Delarmente, an associate commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration, as �allegedly responsible for preparing the travel papers that allowed former Election Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano to travel to Singapore on July 14,� according to the paper�s unnamed sources. Delarmente, according to the Inquirer, was a 1970 graduate of the Philippine Military Academy and classmate of former national police chief, now Public Works Secretary, Hermogenes Ebdane, said to be one of President Arroyo�s favorite cabinet officials. The newspaper said that it tried to contact both Delarmente and Ebdane for their comments and reaction, but that both officials could not be reached. Whatever the truth or untruth about the Inquirer�s revelations about who facilitated the escape of Virgilio Garcillano, there is absolutely no doubt that President Arroyo is the net loser in this episode. Expect her to drop several notches lower in her popularity, approval and trustworthiness ratings. Whether this latest caper was done with or without her knowledge and clearance is immaterial. She is the sole beneficiary from the escape of Garci, since the controversy is left hanging legally unresolved. That one-man alibi factory, Mike Defensor, can claim with hilarious absurdity, as he did with GMA, that the voice in the Garci tape was Virgilio Garcillano�s, but that he, Garci, was not the one talking in it. But no one will believe him, as no one has believed him re GMA. As a matter of fact, it does not matter anymore that the truth about the Garci tapes has not been fully established in Congress or any court of law. Garci�s vanishing act, apparently with the connivance of government officials, confirms, for many people, the guilt of both Garci and President Arroyo. ***** Reactions to [email protected] or fax 824-7642. Other articles in www.tapatt.org. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |
| Reactions to �Garci�s Vanishing Act� The ground handling company that serviced the Learjet in Seletar will have a copy of the general declaration and flight manifest . It�s for their files for billing purposes. Maybe you can ask a photocopy from them. No need to go through diplomatic channels. Bombing Moll, [email protected] August 23, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww You're absolutely right, as you so often are, Tony. Garci's Houdini act cuts her believability (if there's any left) further. It may just presage her disappearance. But for the fact that Noli de Castro Lopez is a consummation devoutly to be dreaded, she would have long been gone. Vicente C. de Jesus, [email protected] August 23, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Why don�t these dirty politicians just stop whacking over the GARCI tapes. Pare-pareho naman silang mandaraya! PWEhhh!! Why don�t they work with the government and help the people, educate the people? Do you think whoever takes over can alleviate the country? DAHHHHHHH!!! Lahat sila mandarambong! They put the blame of the oil price hike on the government. Don�t they �know it�s a worldwide crisis? Can�t they stop nagging and start working for their families, instead of staying on the streets? The ultimate solution to the Philippines is to educate the people to stop producing babies. Anak ng anak wala namang ipakain. Tamad pa Genny Ferrer, [email protected] August 23, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Papa Ratzi on the Move Papa Ratzi just as bad as Wojtyla the Hun At a speech in Germany Papa Nazinger warned of the "dangers of secularism." He cited as an example the rise of Nazism. Papa Ratzi has never explained his membership in the Hitler's Youth which is not as some dunderheads say was the German equivalent of the Boys Scout. Closer it is to the Sodality. Nazism, of course, was a shot in the arm to religion, but most especially the Roman Catholic religion. We should never forget that many prelates, including Pio Doce himself blessed Nazism and offered a Te Deum for Operation Barbarossa. Nazism, of course, has nothing to do with secularism, quite the opposite. By fostering so many racial myths and historical lies, it is the companion of religiosity. Ross Tipon, [email protected] Baguio City, August 23, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww ...Fake election results, fake witnesses, fake husband, fake president... Dean de la Paz, [email protected] BusinessWorld, August 24. 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Vote of Confidence on GMA Dear Sir, To really test the acceptability of PGMA by the people whom she claimed to have voted for her, why don't we ask President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to submit herself to a Vote of Confidence in a nation-wide plebiscite. This will definitely settle the confusing issue of whether the Filipino citizens still trust GMA or no more. The following simple question will be asked in that nation-wide plebiscite: GUSTO MO BANG IPAGPATULOY NI GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO ANG PAGLILINGKOD NIYA BILANG PRESIDENTE NG PILIPINAS?" And the simple answer is either "OPO" or "HINDI. . The result of the plebiscite will have to be respected by all the Filipinos who believe in our democratic way of life; meaning, the "Rule of the Majority" MUST be respected. If the "OPO" wins, then everybody MUST forget the past, and all Filipinos MUST support the program of PGMA; but of course with CRITICISMS THAT ARE CONSTRUCTIVE only, whereby PGMA in turn must react positively for the common good. If "HINDI" wins, GMA MAY choose between two(2) options. Option ONE is to relinquish her position as President of the Philippines to the "DULY-ELECTED" Vice-President. Option TWO is to stay on as President and face the ire of the people. . Merardo C. Abaya, [email protected] August 24, 2005 MY REPLY. You would probably need to amend the Constitution or at least the Omnibus Electoral Code to allow this manner of determining the fate of PGMA. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, The case of Garci's vanishing act is a grand conspiracy of public officials who are obstructing justice and preventing truth from coming out. Of course, the sole beneficiary of this conspiracy is GMA. So, how can anyone believe that she did not know about it, or even approve it? If she did not approve, or even encourage it, why does she not muster all the resources of government to bring back Garci. If she only cracks the whip, Garci can be brought back. The fact that she does not, the only logical conclusion is - she is involved. As our old folks say: malinaw pa sa sikat ng araw. Lokohan ito - harap-harapan. Virgilio C Leynes, [email protected] August 25, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww You wrote: �As a matter of fact, it does not matter anymore that the truth about the Garci tapes has not been fully established in Congress or any court of law. Garci�s vanishing act, apparently with the connivance of government officials, confirms, for many people, the guilt of both Garci and President Arroyo.� You hit it right on the head of the nail......it looks like the only "people" who don't want to see the light (or are being told not to) are those who surround her and of course PGMA herself.....sayang PhD holder padin siya......haaaaaay.....what power can do to a person..... GRABE TALAGA!!!!! Jose Genato, [email protected] August 25, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi, Tony: Excellent basic journalistic research work. I am putting it up to my students as an example of simple hard work of investigative writing. Cheers. Gil Santos, [email protected] August 25, 2005 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Unconfirmed info: Garci used to be an employee at the Lakewood Park Health Center in Downey CA. USA 90241, as Activities person for clients/patients. I don�t believe this either, but it is worth checking for "leads"... Sonny Felarca, [email protected] August 25, 2005 . wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, I offer the following poem written by Anonymous which is appropriate on the subject: Pahimutok kay Garcillano Virgilio Garcillano nasaan ka nga ba Bakit ka tumakas biglang nawala ka Natatakot ka ba o nag-aalaala Sa lihim mong kimkim ay mausisa ka Sa pagkawala mo'y maraming nagduda Baka nga ang boto niyaring talaga kaya raw si Ma'm naupo sa Malakanyan Ikaw raw ang utak at pinagkatiwalaan Kung wala kang sala bakit ka naglaho Dumaan sa bawal wari mo ay multo Lusot sa gwardiya, lampas sa tagasita Magagawa mo nga pagka't nakatimbre ka Hayan iniwan mo bansa'y nagugulo Ang mga pulitiko'y ikot diyan, ikot dito Mga civil society di malaman di mapiho Impeachment na lang ba, o resign ora mismo Dapat daw matalsik si Ma'm sa pwesto Dahil tutuo daw daya ang panalo Sabi'y dinagdagan sa Mindanao ang boto At nagtatago na raw may kagagawan nito Bakit di matiyak tunay na nangyari Puro haka-haka at sabi daw nire Sino ang papayag katotohana'y matikis Matakpan ng kumot sa sahig mawalis Sa mga Kongresistang lingkod ng bayan-bayan Bakit Ibinasura sumbong sa katiwalian Di ba dapat sana kayo ang manguna Sa pagsisiyasat, pagsuri't pagpasiya Di ba sa kaso ni Erap siyang ikinahulog Hindi pinabuksan ang sekon enbelop Ngayon ito naman hintulad din noon Pinatay sa boto reklamo at sumbong Garcillano laking perwesyo ang ginawa mo Ang COMELEC ngayon may markang milagro May haharap pa ba sa bayan mag-alay Malinis ang budhi't magsisilbing tunay Masdan ang kabataang ngayo'y lumilikas Parang Garcillanong nagsisipagtakas Ang tanging ambisyon sarili'y maligtas Madilim na bukas sila'y umiiwas O bayang inapi at lugmok sa hirap Walang nakikitang ginhawa o sarap Saan pa aasa, saan pa hahawak Upang di mahulog sa hukay na burak Huwag tayong magtaka kung ngayo'y kikilos Mga dating mulat, may galang sa Diyos Bubuo ng lakas, hindi matatakot Tumigpas ng sukab, sakim at kurakot Minsan lang maluwal ang tao sa mundo Bakit sasayangin ang panahon dito Mga kagalingan pati kasamaan Sa aklat ng bayan isusulat iyan By Anonymous September 6, 2005 Virgilio C. Leynes, [email protected] September 08, 2005 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |