Commission on Elections Chairman George Garcia during the Senate hearing on the assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo in Pasay City on May 10, 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia has again denied receiving a bribe from a Korean firm.

Garcia has also submitted an affidavit of denial after initially signing a waiver to open his bank accounts.

According to Garcia, this is to once and for all stop the speculation that he received deposits worth around $2.1 million or more than P120 million from banks in South Korea.

“Nag-issue po ako ngayong araw ng affidavit of denial maliban sa sworn waiver. Iyong affidavit of denial ko, under oath. Kung nagsisinungaling ako at mapatunayan na nag-e-exist and bank accounts na iyan, puwede ako kasuhan ng perjury,” Garcia said on the sideline of the memorandum of agreement signing of TESDA with the commission and other government agencies.

(I issued an affidavit of denial today in addition to the sworn waiver. My affidavit of denial is under oath. If I am lying and it is proven that these bank accounts exist, I can be charged with perjury.)

Garcia has already sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate the matter.

“Kahapon, nakiusap tayo kay NBI Director Jimmy Santiago na sana imbestigahan. No. 1, kung sino ang nagkakalat nito, No. 2, binibigyan ko sila ng authority kung akin mang account iyon, buksan lahat ng account  na iyan, isiwalat sa sambayanan kanino ang mga account na iyan at papano ito nagkaroon ng mga account at kung sino ang nagsimula ng mga account na ito,” said Garcia.

(Yesterday, I asked NBI Director Jimmy Santiago to investigate. First, who is spreading this information, and second, I give them the authority to open all these accounts if they are mine, reveal to the public whose accounts they are, how these accounts were created, and who started them.)

Comelec chief denies offshore accounts, gives absolute waiver for probe

SAGIP party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta earlier claimed that 49 offshore bank accounts allegedly belonging to a COMELEC official received deposits worth around $2.1 million or more than P120 million from banks in South Korea.

Marcoleta, however, did not name the Comelec official.

"The most intriguing part here is these accounts are traceable to one Comelec official. This is a work in progress. You have to bear with me, because we’re still verifying most of these accounts," the lawmaker said in a press conference.

But Garcia said that he is the official referred to in the report. He also stated that this is unfair to other officials of the commission.

“Ako po ang minemention dun kahit na sinabi na isang opisyal ng Comelec, hindi po maganda yun. Kawawa naman mga kasamahan ko sa Comelec. Iyong aking mga commissioners, akong mga officials, kung sasabihin lang isang opisyal ng Comelec. Diretsahan na po, ako po ang nakalagay sa white paper, and therefore handa po ako kung akin talaga,” said Garcia.

(Even though it was said that it was a Comelec official, it is not good. It is unfair to my colleagues at Comelec. My commissioners, my officials, if it is just said to be a Comelec official. Directly, I am the one mentioned in the white paper, and therefore, I am ready if it is really me.)

Garcia believes that the spread of this alleged defamation against him aims to influence the Supreme Court's decision on the petition questioning the P17.9-billion contract with South Korean firm Miru Systems Co. to automate next year's national and local elections.

“Sa pagkalat po nito, ang purpose po niyan ay impluwensyahan ang Korte Suprema sa parang maging madumi ang ating proseso. Tatandaan niyo po, nung nag procurement kami lahat ng citizens arm, lahat ng stakeholders, pati media, pati po ang Commission on Audit, present at nagsabi na maayos na maayos ang ating procurement, naka livestream pa,” said Garcia.

(The purpose of this spread is to influence the Supreme Court to make our process seem dirty. Remember, when we did the procurement, all the citizens' arms, all the stakeholders, the media, and even the Commission on Audit were present and said that our procurement was very orderly, and it was even live-streamed.)

Meanwhile, Senate President Francis Escudero said on Thursday said conducting simultaneous Senate and House hearings on the bribery allegations against an election official could be "tricky and complicated."

"The allegations came from a member of the House and will most likely be looked into by the House, unless a member of the Senate files a resolution to that effect,” Escudero said in a text message.

“We have to note though that Simultaneous hearings on the same issue are sometimes tricky and complicated as it sometimes results in different outcomes, especially in this case given that members of the Comelec are impeachable officials and the Senate must avoid pre-judging (or the appearance thereof of) any putative case  that may reach us in the future." 

– With a report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News