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Virgilio Garcillano | |
|---|---|
| Commissioner of theCommission on Elections | |
| In office February 12, 2004 – June 10, 2005 | |
| Appointed by | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Virgilio Olivar Garcillano (1937-07-05)July 5, 1937 |
| Died | March 29, 2025(2025-03-29) (aged 87) |
| Party | Independent |
| Alma mater | University of the East (BA,LL.B.) |
| Profession | Lawyer, public Servant, politician |
Virgilio Olivar Garcillano[1] (July 5, 1937 – March 29, 2025), also known asGarci,[2][3][A] was a long-time official of the PhilippineCommission on Elections (Comelec), serving as a commissioner during the presidency ofGloria Macapagal Arroyo.[5]
Garcillano was known for his alleged involvement inelectoral fraud throughout his career,[5] particularly theHello Garci scandal which revealed taped conversations between him and the president followingthe 2004 elections.[6]
Garcillano was born on July 5, 1937.[4] He was a 1960law graduate from theUniversity of the East. Garcillano obtained trainings—platoon leaders course from thePhilippine Army School Command, and career executive development program from theDevelopment Academy of the Philippines.[1]
Garcillano spent his career at theCommission on Elections (Comelec) beginning in 1961, when he first worked as a special attorney.[1] Among those had been known as the "master operator" of the commission, he engaged inelection fraud duringthe Marcos presidency, the reason he was among those relieved following the revamp after the 1986People Power Revolution, but among those few who were reinstated—in 1993.[5] He eventually became the regional director in SouthernLuzon[5] and inNorthern Mindanao[1] until his retirement in 2002.[5][7]
Despite this,[5] in February 2004, Garcillano andPhilippine Postal Corporation president Manuel Barcelona Jr. were appointed byPresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo as Comelec commissioners,ad interim;[7] replacing Ralph Lantion andLuzviminda Tancangco whose terms had expired, and becoming the fourth and fifth Arroyo-appointed officials of the seven-member commission.[1][8] At that time,the Congress—where some of its members composes theCommission on Appointments (CA)—had been on recess for theMay elections.[8] Garcillano was first tasked by chairpersonBenjamin Abalos to supervise theAutonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and other parts ofMindanao in the elections, but was transferred to theSouthern Tagalog andBicol regions following allegations of his involvement in past election irregularities.[8]
However in 2005, at the time there had been news reports on what would be called the "Hello Garci" scandal where Garcillano was implicated, their appointments lapsed on June 10 after they were bypassed by the CA; no further re-appointments were issued.[9][10] Moreover, there were reports that Garcillano resigned[11] and had left the Comelec by said date.[9]
Garcillano's appointment was opposed by somesenators, includingits presidentFranklin Drilon. Sen.Edgardo Angara called both appointments unconstitutional; meanwhile, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said that the two can actually legally assume office pending confirmation by the CA, citing a 2002 court case.[7]
The oppositionistKoalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP), suspecting the administration was attempting to prevent the victory of the coalition'sthen presidential candidate, movie actor[5]Fernando Poe Jr.—also an Arroyo's opponent, likewise sought the recall of the two.[8] Since the start of their terms, the two, along with another commissioner Florentino Tuason,[8] supported a petition seeking Poe's disqualification on citizenship grounds.[5][8] The petition was rejected both by the Comelec[8] and later by theSupreme Court,upholding the candidacy of Poe who was declareda natural-born Filipino.[5]
Following the appointment of Garcillano and Barcelona, both career election officials, as Comelec commissioners, their notoriety for manipulation of votes, particularly inMindanao, was raised.[5]
Garcillano was accused by then re-electionst Sen.Nene Pimentel of the KNP, ofelectoral fraud that resulted to his lossin the 1995 senatorial election.[8] Among those allegations were the registration of fake voters in Northern Mindanao which he denied;[7] as well as his involvement indagdag-bawas (vote padding and shaving) operations[2] and in the distribution of cash to Comelec officials from the ARMM in previous elections,[2] particularly the turnover of₱1.5 million in a hotel inCagayan de Oro sometime.[8] Pimentel, in a letter to Drilon and Angara, asked for an inquiry to investigate the two appointees for alleged ties with theFirst Gentleman.[8]
Garcillano became one of the subjects of the so-called "Hello Garci scandal", a case involving allegations of electoral fraud which led to thepresidential victory of Arroyo inthe 2004 elections.[2] Arroyo had defeated popular actor Poe.[2][12] This revealed the alleged complicity of Comelec, military andMalacañang officials.[2][13]
The controversy stemmed from a 2005exposé of thewiretapped phone conversation allegedly between Arroyo—an incumbent seeking a six-year term,[13] and Garcillano—then COMELEC vice chair for personnel,[14] wherein the latter was instructed to ensure her at least a million vote margin[12] by manipulating the results in Mindanao.[11] At that time that was taped, the Intelligence Service of theArmed Forces of the Philippines had been monitoring election-related conversations; and that was reportedly leaked by disgruntled ISAFP officers to the opposition.[6]
Despite the accusations, Arroyo, in an address, admitted to such conversations[6] while monitoring her votes;[13] but denied that the voice on the leaked tapes was hers,[6] and giving such order to Garcillano;[14] and later publicly apologized.[2][6][13] Meanwhile, at the height of the controversy, Garcillano reportedly secretly left the country[12] and was seen overseas;[13] but reappeared later that year in a jointcongressional hearing.[13] He later went into hiding inMalaybalay,Bukidnon, for over a month until his appearance in December 2006 somewhere inMaguindanao.[12]
In a 2005 hearing,[13] and since his first media interview inBukidnon after the controversy,[12] Garcillano admitted talking about the election tally,[11] but denied the manipulation.[11][12] He maintained being a victim in the controversy, claiming there was "no such thing as Hello Garci" because thepresident used to call him either "Comm" or "Commissioner;"[4][A] and the tapes, which he later described as "baloney,"[11] were fabricated by his critics.[4] Shortly after the end ofthe Arroyo presidency in 2010, in an interview withGMA's24 Oras at his farm, he added that he regretted joining the Comelec due to the scandal.[11]
Thescandal remained both one of the largest in the Arroyo administration,[2] and one of those unresolved.[12] Those involved, including Garcillano, were never charged as the five-year prescription period for the filing of cases lapsed.[13] Comelec employees were even promoted within that period.[5]
In March 2014,the Ombudsman indicted Garcillano ofperjury, referring to his statements in a 2005 congressional hearing denying trying to evade the inquiry and going overseas. It was found that Garcillano presented counterfeit passport, and went toLondon throughChangi Airport inSingapore.[13]
In 2007, Garcillano ran as anindependent forcongressman ofthe first district of Bukidnon,[2] but later conceded defeat while arguing being "defeated byblack propaganda."[3] He eventually placed third.[15]
Garcillano lived privately in Bukidnon since his failed congressional bid, mostly in his farmhouse, which also served as his retirement home, inBaungon. In mid-July 2011,TV5 reported that Garcillano was no longer in his Baungon farmhouse, but had moved to another location but "still in the foothills ofMount Kitanglad".[12]
On September 12, 2007, Garcillano was treated at the Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center inSanta Cruz, Manila after abiopsy due toprostatedisease.[16]
Garcillano was married to Grace. He died at his residence in Baungon, on March 29, 2025, at the age of 87.[14][17]
