The controversial wiretapping tapes of alleged conversations between Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and an election commissioner during last elections have been confirmed altered, a government spokesman said Friday.

Environment Secretary and presidential political spokesman Mike Defensor said in an interview with the radio dzMM that an American sound expert who conducted an analysis of two wiretapping tapes has drawn an conclusion that the tapes were digitally manipulated.

"The conversations were manipulated," Defensor said.

The tapes, which were cited by the opposition as proof of President Arroyo's election fraud, triggered a political crisis last month almost overthrowing Arroyo's administration.

According to Defensor, the American sound expert, identified as American Barry Dickey, found out that the recordings were spliced and digitally enhanced to make it sound like that President Arroyo was talking to former election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.

"Because of digital manipulation, the President and Garcillano were made to appear to be talking on a plot to rig the polls," Defensor said.

He also said that the government is agreeable to recent proposals that the whole "Hello Garci" tapes should be analyzed by a foreign agency.

According to the spokesman, Dickey, from the Audio Evidence Lab, has "examined evidence over 1,000 cases in the US and Europe" including the "Osama bin Laden tapes" which contained the terrorist icon's invitation to all Muslims in the world to declare a holy war against the United States.

The "Hello Garci" tapes were first played by Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye on June 6 during a news conference in an attempt to preempt the opposition's plan to make public the wiretaps linking President Arroyo to election fraud.

After weeks of silence, President Arroyo admitted in a national TV speech that she has indeed called election officials during the 2004 elections and apologized for her "lapse in judgement."

Source: Xinhua