President Gloria Arroyo's appointment of retired Rear Admiral Tirso Danga as head of the National Printing Office (NPO) was met with criticism by government officials and the head of a poll watchdog.

Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. likened his appointment as chief of the agency that will print the ballots for the 2010 elections to placing a “forger as governor of the Central Bank” because of his involvement in the “Hello Garci” scandal.

Danga, a Philippine Military Academy 1975 graduate, was appointed to replace Enrique Agana, who was accused of raping a girl.

"The swiftness with which the Palace removed Agana from his post and installed Rear Admiral Danga as his replacement clearly show an administration effort to put the National Printing Office under the control of a man whom it can trust despite his sullied reputation. But this only raises suspicion that this is part of a sinister agenda to manipulate the 2010 elections to keep administration forces in power," Pimentel said in a statement.

Henrietta de Villa, head of the National Movement for Free Election (NAMFREL), said that his appointment would taint the results of the 2010 elections.

“It’s not good because we are now trying to eradicate distrust in the election process,” de Villa said.

Danga was chief of the Western Command in Palawan when he retired from military service in 2007. He was considered a dark horse in the choice of the next navy chief when Vice Admiral Mateo Mayuga retired on December 2006 because of his connection to former House Speaker Jose de Venecia.

Military sources disclosed to Newsbreak in 2005 that Danga is closely associated with de Venecia. Danga, they said, served as De Venecia’s intelligence officer during the latter’s presidential campaign way back in 1998. He is also widely known to be close to Diosdado “Buboy” Macapagal, the younger brother of the president.

Shadow of “Hello Garci’”

Danga was the head of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines whose agents allegedly intercepted the telephone conversation between President Gloria Arroyo and election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.  The conversations, popularly called “Hello Garci” tapes, hinted on rigging the results of the vote in Mindanao in favor of Arroyo.

Danga denied the existence of the tapes and said that ISAPF had no capability to do wiretapping.

When the Senate conducted a probe on the wiretapping scandal, Danga snubbed the investigation and he, along with other government officials summoned, invoked Executive Order 464, which prohibits the appearance of officials to hearings without the permission of the president.

Pestaňo case

Danga was also implicated in the alleged cover-up of the case of navy ensign Philip Pestaňo. Pestaňo was found dead in September 1995 on board RPS-Bacolod City of the Philippine Navy, where he worked as a cargo master.

The Philippine Navy said Pestaňo committed suicide but there were allegations that he was killed after he discovered illegal and corrupt practices happening in the ship.

The Senate conducted an investigation on Pestaňo’s case in 1997. Danga, who was the intelligence commander during that time, told the Senate investigating panel that Pestaňo killed himself. (abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak)

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