SEN. GRACE Poe amplified her call for clean and honest elections on the 20th year of the "Hello Garci" phone conversation that marred the May 10, 2004 elections and raised doubts on its integrity.
Twenty years after the infamous incident, Poe lamented justice and accountability remained elusive for those who robbed her father, Fernando Poe Jr., of votes in the said presidential race. "The specter of Hello Garci will continue to haunt us if we do not guard our votes," she said.
"Mas hi-tech na ngayon dahil sa mga e-wallet, kaya dapat maging mas mapagbantay ang ating mga kababayan," Poe added.
To avoid a repeat of the incident, Poe recently filed Senate Bill No. 2664 proposing an amendment to the definition of vote-buying under Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code. It seeks to penalize violators with imprisonment of not less than six years but not more than 10 years, and is not subject to probation.
The measure aims to cover criminal developments exploiting the use of technology and/or computer devices, software, and applications in the electoral space.
"Alongside the digital shift is the penetration and proliferation of cybercriminals in vote-buying and vote-selling schemes through money mules. These money mules use electronic money transfer methods to facilitate vote-buying and vote-selling," the bill read.
It added that, "unlike traditional vote-buying where the candidates physically give out money, it is a challenge to detect the source of these digital schemes."
Poe rued that vote-buying and vote-selling appeared unstoppable from various reports in the past elections.
With the elections next year, the senator said the people must not allow cheating to rear its ugly head anew in a crucial political exercise.
"The Hello Garci scandal may be just a historical footnote to some with short memories. Still, a recounting must be made to put the incontrovertible facts to record and to serve as a valuable reminder not to let it happen again," Poe said.
"Mahirap sabihing goodbye, 'Hello Garci' hanggang hindi lumalabas ang buong katotohanan, walang napaparusahan at patuloy pa rin ang dayaan," she added.
The Hello Garci scandal (or just Hello Garci), also known as Gloriagate,was a political scandal and electoral crisis in the Philippines involving 14th president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who allegedly rigged the 2004 national election in her favor.
The official results of the election gave Arroyo and Noli de Castro the presidency and vice-presidency respectively. Hundreds of national and local positions were also contested during this election.
The scandal and crisis began in June 2005 when audio recordings of a phone call conversation between Arroyo and then-Election Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, allegedly talking about the rigging of the 2004 national election results, were released to the public. This escalated when the minority of the lower house of Congress attempted to impeach Arroyo. This was blocked by the Arroyo-led majority coalition in September 2005 and no trial took place.
Allegations against Arroyo and her alleged accomplices in government were many, including electoral fraud and its supposed cover-up. The Arroyo administration denied some of the allegations and challenged others in court.
The House of Representatives, which was dominated by Arroyo's coalition, blocked attempts for an impeachment trial. Arroyo's most publicized alleged accomplice from the electoral commission, Virgilio Garcillano, was missing for a few months, but returned to the capital in late 2005.
Allegations persist regarding possible conspirators from the government who helped in his escape, and another alleged cover-up. Garcillano denied any wrongdoing, before his disappearance, and after his return. In December 2006, Garcillano was cleared of perjury charges by the Department of Justice. (Mindanao Examiner)
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