FINAL REPORT - Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

July 10, 2005 – the CBCP, then headed by Archbishop Fernando Capalla, issued a
pastoral statement in which they did not join the clamor for resignation of
President Arroyo but which left open three options for the resolution of the
crisis: voluntary resignation, impeachment, and creation of a truth commission
to inquire into allegations that the President had manipulated the 2004
elections
July 14, 2005 – Garcillano flew by Learjet to Singapore, then from Singapore to
London 43 ; the fact of departure was denied by Bureau of Immigration
Commissioner Alipio Fernandez
July 18, 2005 – in response to calls from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the
Philippines, President Arroyo wrote to outgoing CBCP President and Davao
Archbishop Fernando Capalla and stated her position that she will be
forming a truth commission. Spokesman Ignacio Bunye told reporters she
will issue an executive order creating the probe commission and that she
will be consulting various stakeholders like the CBCP in selecting its members 44
-- the House issued a warrant of arrest for Garcillano
July 19, 2005 – President Arroyo filed her Answer to the Lozano impeachment
complaint 45
July 25, 2005 – the State of the Nation Address was delivered by President
Arroyo, in which she elaborated on the need for charter change but made
no mention at all of the Garci Tapes scandal
-- through her National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, President
Arroyo procured a contract with the foreign law firm Venable Llp. to lobby
and procure United States grants or congressional funds for the purpose of
43 as proven much later, from the note verbale of the Singapore government dated August 31, 2005, which reads:
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Singapore presents its compliments to the Embassy of the
Republic of the Philippines and has the honour to refer to the latter’s Note: 146.2005 dated 24 August 2005
requesting additional information on the circumstances surrounding the entry and subsequent departure from
Singapore of Commission on Elections Commissioner Virgilio O. Garcillano Jr.
The Ministry has the further honour to inform the Embassy that Mr Virgilio Garcillano transited in Singapore
on 14 July 2005 onboard a Learjet 35 with the registration number RP-C 1426. Mr Garcillano departed
Singapore on 15 July 2005 on board Singapore Airlines Flight SQ 320.” (emphasis supplied)
This note verbale was indorsed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo to the House, as follows:
“Relative to your Department’s invitation to the DFA to attend your hearing on the flight of Commissioner Garcillano
we are transmitting to you the 31 August 2005 note verbale from the Singapore Foreign Ministry received by our
Embassy on 4 September 2005 containing further details on his entry to and departure from Singapore on 14 and 15
July, respectively.”
44
“GMA to form truth body,” Christine O. Avendaño and Christian V. Esguerra, PDI, July 20, 2005, p. A1
45
i.e., even before the Lozano and Lopez complaints could be acted upon by the Speaker of the House and referred
to the House Committee on Justice (Congress was not in session)
124