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CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 30 March) — Virgilio Garcillano, the controversial commissioner of the Commission on Elections and key figure in the ‘Hello Garci’ scandal during the 2004 elections, died on Saturday, March 29. He was 87-years-old.
Comelec Region 10 Director Renato Magbutay confirmed Garcillano’s passing in a telephone interview with MindaNews on Sunday night.
He said Garcillano collapsed in the comfort room of their farm house in Barangay Imbatug, Baungon town in Bukidnon after 8pm last Saturday night. He said Garcillano lived with his wife, Grace, in their farm in Barangay Imbatug.
Magbutay said he visited the wake of Garcillano at St. Peter’s funeral parlor in Barangay Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro on Sunday.
HELLO GARCI. Former Election Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano surfaces in his farm in Baungon Bukidnon province on Saturday, July 30,2011. He left his farm a couple of days ago after a Malacanang official claimed Garcillano sent feelers he would testify against former Presisdent Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He denied sending feelrs and reiterated he has nothing more to say about the 2004 Presidential polls. MindaNews file photo by FROILAN GALLARDO Garcillano was the key figure behind the“Hello Garci” scandal, also known as “Gloriagate” in the 2004 election when then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ran for President against Fernando Poe Jr.
Arroyo was elected Vice President in 1998 but assumed the post of President when Joseph Estrada was ousted as President in January 2001. She initially vowed not to run for President in 2004 but did.
Recordings of telephone conversations allegedly between Arroyo and Garcillano were exposed in June 2005.
Arroyo on June 9, 2005 denied she rigged the 2004 elections and on June 27 addressed the country in a televised broadcast where she admitted speaking to Garcillano but denied manipulating election results.
Ten Cabinet members tendered their resignation on July 8 and urged Arroyo herself to resign as well.
Despite the controversy that hound Garcillano, his former colleagues at the Comelec office remembered his “kindness “ and his help during their time of need.
Agusan del Sur Comelec director lawyer Ernie Palanan said Garcillano, as Comelec Commissioner, was responsible for giving good treatment to provincial Comelec officials and personnel who came to visit their Central Office in Manila.
“We from the provinces used to sleep on the tables at the Comelec central office during our visits but Garcillano made sure we were provided with the budget for us to sleep in nearby hotels,” Palanan said.
He said because of that, Garcillano was able to win loyal admirers from the Comelec provincial office. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)
