Who is Maj. Jason Aquino and who was he representing?
It seemed that reporters in that press conference held in Bukidnon wanted only to hear Garci say “I was ordered by Gloria Arroyo to cheat” and when they didn’t hear that, they didn’t know any more what questions to ask.
They didn’t question when Garci said that there was no point for them to cheat because it was ten days after elections.
The reporters didn’t point out to Garcillano that in 2004, it was still manual elections and counting and canvassing took even more than a month. They were still tampering with election results in the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao to make up for the unexpected avalanche of votes for Fernando Poe Jr that came from the vote-rich Lingayen-Lucena corridor.
Garci claimed that he only talked with Arroyo once. He said Arroyo only asked him why her advantage two or three days before the start of the canvass in Lanao del Sur came up to only 892,000 when three days before that, it was more than one million.
The reporters apparently didn’t listen to the Hello Garci tapes or read the transcript which they should have done as part of their preparation for the presscon.
If they had listened to the “Hello Garci” tapes, they should have known that Garci talked with Arroyo at least 14 times.
They should have asked Garci about Arroyo’s call asking him if the certificates of canvass which the military officials tampered with matched the election returns.
Garci complained that there was a problem because Maj. Gen. Habacon, then the commander in Jolo, “hindi kasi marunong,”
When Garci mentioned the name of Maj. Jason Aquino in connection with “feelers” from Malacañang which he was denying, nobody asked, “Who is Jason Aquino?”
Garci said Aquino was very nice to him but in the end, all that he wanted was to bring him to Malacañang.
He said the last text message from Aquino which was only a few days ago was, “The defining moment is now. Else, we will be overtaken by events. The secretary is waiting for your call.”
None of the reporters followed up with the question, “Who was the secretary Aquino was referring to?” If it was Llamas, is he now assigned in Malacañang?
Or is he representing somebody else.
No one also asked, “Is he still active in the military?”. If he was still active in the military, where is he assigned? Who is his direct superior? Was he tasked by his unit to contact Garci?
These are basic questions that reporters should have asked which they didn’t. What a disappointment.
Sorry, I inadvertently closed comments in this post. It’s only now that I was able to access internet through my Globe tattoo.
DSL is agony for me the past weeks. Yesterday, I had no access in the morning. I complained to PLDT. Briefly last night, I had internet connection. Tonight, no luck again.
Please bear with me for being slow in updating entries here.
From Benjie Suarez:
Who were those reporters sent to interview Garci? Were they veteran and experienced reporters like you or amateurs? A reporter should ask like how an investigator asks. Perhaps something might have prevented them from asking the questions you mentioned. In other words, that press conference held in Bukidnon could have been scripted.
Malamang scripted nga.
Arogante and dating ng sagot ni Garci. Tignan lang natin kung papaano niya malulusutan ang patong patong na kaso laban sa kanya. Sabi nga ni SAx, kung yung 2004, dahil sa prescription period eh baka lusot na ang mga election operators na ito. Tignan lang natin kung lulusot sila sa ibang mga kasong isasampa laban sa kanila.
Pandak still retains some of these reporters. Let us not forget that!
kulang lang sa piga yan si Garci… hindi magtatagal at bibigay din yan…
Intresado ako kung ano ang role ni Major Jason Aquino sa yugtong ito ng Hello Garci, at kung ‘sino’ na siya ngayon.
Walang binatbat ang mga reporters na dumalo sa presscon ni Garci, hindi nag-aral ng background ng estorya, hindi marunong magtanong at mag-follow up sa tanong. In short, dami na sa kanilang ang bobo, o may tapal na para walang magsulat ng tungkol sa isyung Hello Garci.
Army major wasn’t authorized to talk to Garcillano, AFP says
By Victor Reyes
Malaya
Short of censuring Maj. Jason Aquino, Army chief Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz yesterday said the military did not authorize the junior officer to try to convince former elections commissioner Virgilio Garcillano to spill the beans on the alleged rigging of the 2004 elections.
“I didn’t authorize Jason Aquino to negotiate with Garcillano. The Army, being apolitical, maintains its policy of non-interference in political matters,” said Ortiz.
Aquino could not be reached for comment.
Garcillano over the weekend named Aquino as among those trying to convince him to come out and reveal what he knows about the alleged rigging of the results of the 2004 presidential elections to ensure then President Arroyo’s victory.
In his press briefing over the weekend, Garcillano even read a text message supposedly coming from Aquino. “The defining moment is now. Else, we will be overtaken by events. The secretary is waiting for you,” he said.
Garcillano said Aquino and a Jasper Zuniga from the office of political affairs adviser Ronaldo Llamas came to see him in Bukidnon. Also, he said Aquino and Zuniga tried to meet with him in his residence in Subic.
On insinuations that Aquino is working with Malacañang, Ortiz said Major Aquino should have informed his superior officers. “There is no communication informing us that he is working with Malacañang or something. Maybe he is working on his own which is not proper,” he said.
Ortiz said Aquino had been assigned with the Army Reserved Command based in Cavite effective last July 1. “Up to now, he has not reported to his unit,” he said.
Ortiz said he has directed the leadership of the Army Reserve Command to take action on Aquino.
Asked if Aquino can be classified as absent without official leave, Ortiz said that might already be the case. Based on regulations, a military personnel will be marked AWOL if he fails to report to his unit in 10 days.
Aquino was one of those jailed by the Arroyo administration for alleged ouster plots. He was acquitted.
If AFP did not authorize Major Jason Aquino to talk with Garci, who then was the powerful voice to ask him to do so? Hindin naman nya marahil basta gagawin lang yun na pang propaganda sa sarili maliban kung meron syang plano na magpakilala.
Jason was one of the incarcerated officers who refused amnesty as doing so would in effect accept that Gloria’s presidency was legitimate and it was really be a coup. He risked uncertainty going through with the trial but he was acquitted. I remember his favorite byline was “para sa bayan.”
If you want a dogged pursuer of Arroyo and her military minions without compromise, thats him.
http://www.malaya.com.ph/12062010/edit.html
if we really look very closely, he was instrumental in bringing Rabusa out earlier.
Imagine the awkwardness of the situation in the military, there are still remaining Arroyo”tainted” officers, ones who directly and indirectly benefitted and tolerated. Amnesty and subsequent dismissal fromthe service of the incarcerated officers was preferred by the chain of command, having this troublemaker still around is actually a thorn in their sides. lets see how the president will handle this.
He is close to Gen Lim who until now is doggedly pursuing Arroyo and her military minions.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/-depth/08/02/11/danny-lim-2004-poll-cheating-afps-original-sin
What they should’ve asked is where has Garci been hiding/living all these years? Who were his “friends” during this time and was he “well taken cared of.” and if the nice big mansion in Bukidnon where he was living in all this time was his.