Ex-solon alleges bank records of bribes; Comelec chief denies

Former Caloocan congressman Edgar Erice disclosed that he received a package from the Bahamas allegedly containing bank records from bribe money and a list of properties of a Commission on Elections (Comelec) official.

"So nung binuksan ko may 14 accounts yung Comelec official, 14 accounts sa Seychelles, sa Bahamas, sa Singapore, sa Hongkong, I think China. Kasama niya dito co-depositor nya is his wife," Erice said in a "24 Oras" report by Mark Salazar.

In response, Comelec chairperson George Garcia said the alleged bank accounts do not exist.

Erice did not show the documents to the media.  He also did not name the Comelec official allegedly involved. 

"I will not name it because it is not yet verified," he said.

"Meron mga Miru officials from Korea naghulog ng pera nandito pati mga pangalan tapos pinadala sa mga bangko tapos natanggap, eto detailed ha hindi ko na papakita pero detailed pati date, time nandyan, paano nareceive...pati mga yung kanyang mga properties abroad," he added.

Miru Systems is the poll machine supplier for the 2025 elections.

Erice submitted the documents, which he called the 'Bahamas Files," to the office of Garcia for investigation.

Garcia said the documents were not yet verified and upon checking with at least two banks, he said they do not exist.

“Sinubukan muna natin ang isa Landbank of the Philippines at sinabi ng Landbank of the Philippines, napakaliwanag, hindi nage-exist ang account na yan so ibig sabihin spurious ang account,” he said in the report.

The Landbank account is one of the 14 accounts written down in bank records, which Erice said he received in a package from the Bahamas.

In an X post, Garcia also said he obtained a certification from another bank saying the account number mentioned in the so-called Bahamas files does not exist.

 

Malinaw din po sa inilabas na certification ng Metrobank - Alfaro branch ngayong araw na hindi nag-eexist ang account number na kabilang sa naka-attach na mga dokumentong ipina-receive sa ating tanggapan kaninang umaga. pic.twitter.com/DSFlVcokF0

— Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia (@ChairGEGarcia) July 15, 2024

Garcia showed the documents to GMA Integrated News.

“Yung mga pinadala sa 'kin pinareceive kaninang umaga pare-pareho ang font parang iisang tao lang and gumawa, binago-bago lang ang account numbers. Ni wala ngang logo ng bangko, ni walang pirma ng nag-issue.  Parang lumalabas 14 accounts yun ay 14 sa 49 pero this time nagsama ng six local accounts. Dun kasi sa una na meron ako na binabasa sa presscon wala kasing local accounts,” Garcia said.

“Nakakalungkot sapagkat ako ang inaakusahan pero ako ang naghahanap ng ebidensya, ako ang inaakusahan ako ang nagpapatunay na mali. Di ba dapat yung nag-aakusa ang nagpo-prove. Dun ako nalungkot hindi pa pala verified hindi man lang nagtatanong sa bangko nilabas sa publiko anong purpose?” he added.

Garcia said he is coordinating with the Anti–Money Laundering Council about the bank accounts in other countries.

He added he is considering filing criminal charges of falsification of record against individuals behind the release of the Bahamas files. —Celine Serquina/LDF, GMA Integrated News