The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) aired this view concerning the reemergence of former Commission on Elections Commissioner Virgillo Garcillano, who is said to have rigged the 2004 elections to favor Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He is said to attend House and Senate hearings to clear his name.

  According to Ka Willy Marbella, internal deputy secretary general of KMP, “we are watching and listening to Garci’s every word and action as well as those of the other players in this drama. Again, the political tension is building up and any wrong move by the administration and Garci may trigger the latent but overwhelming anger and disgust of the Filipino people against Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,” 

“In the next few weeks the tension may get to fever pitch and if it gets to this point sooner, then we may have a new leadership before Christmas or the New Year. We are now recalibrating our forces to launch another round of intensified protest actions calling for the ouster of Gloria,” added the peasant leader. 

Marbella added that “Garci’s appearance now is indeed very dubious considering that he spent 5 months in hiding, disregarding any and all avenues given to him to air his side. Now, he is projecting that he is the victim, but as months of hearings and investigations would show, he was indeed involved in elections cheating with the behest of Gloria,”      

“Actually what people are waiting for now is the script of Garci and how will he try to lie his way out of this fiasco. Inevitably, he will link and name opposition figures to muddle the issue and exonerate Gloria, but the point is did he or did he not rig the elections to favor candidates who paid him, especially Gloria. Now, all those involved should be punished, regardless of their political affiliations, ” he ended. # # #
 

KMP - 29 November 2005