Comelec chief to sign waiver to probe alleged offshore accounts

Commission on Elections Commissioner George Garcia FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairperson George Erwin Garcia said on Thursday that he would issue absolute waivers anew regarding his alleged bank accounts in the Cayman Islands.

“Mag-iissue muli ako ng waivers. In fact, may sulat uli ako sa Anti-Money Laundering Council na ipapatanggap natin ngayon,” he said in an ambush interview.

(I will issue waivers again. In fact, I have written to the Anti-Money Laundering Council, and we will make them accept it today.)

READ: Marcoleta tags Comelec chief Garcia in Caymans offshore bank controversy

These waivers are for the offshore accounts presented by Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta on the same day, allegedly under Garcia’s name.

Garcia questioned the receipts and certifications presented by the congressman.

In a press briefing earlier the day, Marcoleta said they had volunteers in New York deposit $100 into two offshore accounts. The receipts were traced back and supposedly showed Garcia’s name.

“Fake po yung accounts. Tapos kabubukas lang ‘yong pinakita na pinadalhan ng 100 USD. Kahit sa local banks basta tama account number pero mali ang name ay successful pa rin transaction,” Garcia said.

“That receipt came from a platform of a US-based institution, a reputable bank called JP Morgan Chase & Company.  That’s a consumer and banking subsidiary of a reputable world-renowned banking institution based in America.  That’s why the transaction records from Chase for Business can be considered authentic and untampered,” he added.

Last July, Marcoleta also said that an unnamed Comelec official received at least P1 billion worth of funds from banks, including those based in South Korea, to 49 offshore accounts.

Reacting to Marcoleta’s statement, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said he was the one being referred to by the lawmaker.

READ: Garcia: Bank accounts presented by Marcoleta ‘fake’, uses my name

“Huwag na po nating paikut-ikutin. Ako po ‘yung nire-refer doon. Dalawang linggo na po kaming may impormasyon. Actually po, nakaplano ‘yung demolition job laban sa Comelec. May mga nag-presscon,” he told reporters.

(Let’s not beat around the bush. I am the one being referred to. We’ve had the information for two weeks. Actually, the demolition job against Comelec was planned. Some people held a press conference.)