Mayuga still tight-lipped on ‘Hello, Garci’ report

The head of the military fact-finding panel that looked into the alleged involvement of several ranking officers in the supposed cheating in the 2004 elections is still not keen on discussing the details of his report. “I think the new president has given his authority and of course, the Secretary of Defense can have full access to government records. I will not say anything and let the report speak for itself," said retired Vice Admiral Mateo Mayuga in a phone interview Tuesday. President Benigno Aquino III had earlier said he is considering the full disclosure of the report, which cleared three now-retired generals — Hermogenes Esperon, Roy Kyamko and Gabriel Habacon — of involvement in the supposed fraud that allegedly benefited then presidential candidate Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The names came out in the controversial “Hello, Garci" tapes — the wiretapped phone conversation between a woman believed to be Arroyo and a man believed to be then Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner Virgilio Garcillano. The full report by the five-man panel, formed in 2005, was never made public. Mayuga said his reticence about the report is only appropriate since he is already “a private person." He likewise maintained that he is not protecting anyone by not divulging the details of the report. “Hindi ako magpapagamit sa mga tao ngayon… Ang problema kasi ‘yung mga ibang tao, may conclusion na sila. Bago pa ako nag-imbestiga, may conclusion na ‘yung ibang tao," he said. (I will not allowed myself to be used by someone. The problem here is some people already had conclusions even before my panel started its investigation.) Mayuga also said he is not in favor of the suggestion of former Scout Ranger chief and mutiny suspect Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim to reopen the case, noting that his investigation was aboveboard and that they did their best to establish honest findings. “After that (investigation), I continued to enjoy eight hours of sleep. I can look at people straight in their eyes," he said. - Andreo Calonzo/KBK, GMANews.TV