Comelec's Garcia eyes cases vs individuals behind 'white paper'

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson George Erwin Garcia on Monday said he was considering filing criminal charges against individuals behind a "white paper” that supposedly listed the bank accounts through which he allegedly received bribes from a South Korean firm.

Garcia rejected the document as fake, adding it initially contained only offshore accounts but now included at least seven local banks. 

He also said he would issue fresh waivers, as well as supplemental affidavits of denial, to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to open and investigate the alleged bank accounts.

“Alam niyo po ang natanggap ko na dokumento... pare-parehas ang font…Alam mo na galing sa iisang source, galing sa iisang tao. Kung galing sa iba't ibang bangko, dapat magkakaiba. Dapat nga niyan meron pang logo 'yung mga bangko,” the Comelec chief said.

(The documents we received have the same fonts. This means they came from a single source.)

“Ibig sabihin, 'yan ay fake, spurious, at falsified documents,” Garcia added.

(It means they are fake, spurious, and falsified.)

A letter containing Garcia’s alleged 14 offshore bank accounts in the Bahamas was submitted to the Comelec Office in Intramuros, Manila, Manny Vargas reported on Super Radyo dzBB.

If proven false, the poll body chief said he was filing charges for falsification of a public document against the individuals behind the so-called white paper.

“Kung saka-sakali na mapapatunayan ko na falsification ito... ako mismo ang personal na magfa-file ng kasong kriminal,” said Garcia.

(If we prove these are falsified documents, I will file criminal charges.)

“Sisiguruhin natin na may mananagot,” he added.

(We will make sure we hold them accountable.)

Last week, SAGIP party-list Representative Rodante Marcoleta questioned the Comelec’s awarding of the P18-billion automated election contract to a joint venture including Korean firm Miru, amid the alleged existence of 49 offshore bank accounts which received money from South Korean banks.

Marcoleta said the decisions during the bidding process up to the awarding of the contract to the firm Miru coincided with deposits made to the offshore accounts he alleged were linked to a Comelec official.

Garcia admitted he was the poll body official being alluded to but denied owning any foreign bank accounts or properties abroad.

He has also since requested the NBI and AMLC to formally investigate the accusations and issued secrecy waivers against the involved bank accounts. — DVM, GMA Integrated News