FINAL REPORT - Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

March 29, 2005 – Susan Roces’ petition was dismissed by the PET
May 6, 2005 – Samuel Ong and Angelito Santiago met T/Sgt. Vidal Doble and Marieta
Santos at the Imperial Palace Hotel, Timog, Quezon City, where Ong gave Doble
P2 million and Doble was recorded on video-tape admitting that he was the
ISAFP personnel who gave the Garci Tapes to Ong
-- May – June, 2005 – members of the political opposition got hold of CDs of the
Garci Tapes and the public and the press got wind of its contents
May 15, 2005 – Alan Paguia stated that he received the Garci Tapes from former Sen.
Francisco Tatad 39 for study
June 6, 2005 – Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye conducted a press
conference whereby he presented two compact audio discs and announced
that these contain wire-tapped conversations, one showing a genuine
recording of the voice of President Arroyo talking with a “political leader”
(a certain staff member of Rep. Ignacio Arroyo surnamed Ruado 40 ), and the
other showing a falsified recording, spliced to make it appear that it was
Garcillano, instead of Ruado, talking to the President and that the two of them
were talking about details showing electoral fraud in the 2004 elections.
At this June 6, 2004 press conference, Bunye --
-- emphasized that the 2 CDs are the product of a plan to destabilize
the administration;
-- admitted that it was indeed President Arroyo’s voice caught on
wiretapped tape recordings in one of the CDs that he was
holding, but took refuge from queries as to the source (of the
tapes) by invoking “privileged communication” and the penal law;
-- stated that the tapes were provided by a source but “she” does not
want to divulge her identity yet;
-- repeatedly said that examination of the CDs will be turned over the
NBI.
We quote his words:
“Q:
Sir, can we just clarify. So, you are saying that it was
indeed the President’s voice?
BUNYE: That is President’s voice, but the other party on the
line is not of a commissioner.
39
“Paguia: tapes came from Tatad,” Jess Diaz, The Philippine Star, July 7, 2005, p. 1. According to the latter
article, Tatad said the Garci Tapes came into his possession in early April, 2005.
40
A certain Gary Ruado is said to be the chief of staff of Representative Ignacio Arroyo.
114