Ironically, the controversy that nearly toppled the Arroyo administration started at the Palace, when Presidential Spokesperson Ignacio Bunye released CDs of the Hello Garci conversations on June 6, 2005. Days later, former NBI Deputy Director Samuel Ong presented what he claims to be the "mother of all tapes" of the wiretapped conversations.
The revelation spawned House and Senate investigations, as well as calls for President Arroyo's resignation.
The President was steadfast in her refusal to step down. She admitted talking to a COMELEC official during the canvassing period and apologized for her "lapse in judgment" in making such a call. However, she qualified that the conversations occurred after the votes had been counted, and she was careful not to name the Comelec official.
Garcillano's whereabouts became unknown after the Hello Garci CDs came out; there had been rumors that he slipped out of the country. He resurfaced more than five months later, admitting that he had conversed with President Arroyo during the canvassing period--after the votes had been counted. He denied that President Arroyo instructed him to cheat in the 2004 elections. He had since appeared in House hearings on the wiretapping controversy.
-http://www.gmanews.tv/story/27477/Hello-Garci-scandal
Case Close on “Hello Garci” issue
MANILA, Feb. 16 — Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal on Tuesday asserted that the issue on the so-called "Hello Garci" tape had its closure a long time ago.
This was the reaction of Macalintal on the statements made by some presidentiables that once they get elected, they would call for the opening of the investigation into the "Hello Garci" tape so that a closure will be made once and for