Lawmaker Rodante Marcoleta and Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia. Press and Public Affairs Bureau handout/ABS-CBN News/File

A lawmaker on Thursday sought an investigation into the alleged bribery and corruption at the Commission on Elections.

SAGIP party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta filed a House resolution seeking a probe into “alleged deposits made to several offshore bank accounts of a high-ranking Comelec official for possible violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act”.

Marcoleta tagged in his resolution Comelec Chairman George Garcia and the joint venture led by South Korean firm Miru Systems, which was awarded the P18 billion for the May 2025 automated election system.

'Let's not hijack this hearing': Senators, Marcoleta clash over Cha-cha 

In a press conference, the lawmaker disputed Garcia’s previous claim that he does not own an offshore account. 

Marcoleta presented documents supposedly showing that fund transfers made by their volunteer to two offshore accounts with beneficiary name “George Erwin Mojica Garcia” went through.

“Makikita ninyo na ‘yung aming volunteer sa New York nag-deposit ng 100 dollars sa account number ending 0550… Ang may pangalan George Erwin Mojica Garcia. Nagdeposit din ‘yung volunteer natin sa New York 100 dollars sa account ending 8562. Tingnan nyo ang pangalan, George Erwin Mojica Garcia,” Marcoleta said. 

“Malinaw na malinaw na ‘yung dalawang deposit transactions affirm the existence of two offshore bank accounts of COMELEC Chair George Garcia in Cayman Islands. I think this is very conclusive,” he added.

“’Yan ay consumer and banking subsidiary ng isang reputable, world-renowned banking institution based in America. Kaya ‘yung transaction records na nage-generate for business ay masasabi nating authentic and untampered,” Marcoleta said.

But he said he has yet to establish the supposed connection between the two offshore accounts and Miru.

IN PHOTOS: Comelec pushes for inclusive elections

“Hindi ko pa masabing may connection sa Miru. Ngunit dahil hindi ipinapaliwanag ang circumstances kung bakit na-procure ‘yung services ng Miru, ‘yung system at makinang gagamitin, ay matagal na nating sinasabing lihis sa batas,” Marcoleta said. 

Meanwhile, some of the offshore bank accounts, which the lawmaker previously said was “traceable” to a Comelec official and received deposits from banks in South Korea, have been closed, according to Marcoleta.

He said this happened after he sounded the alarm on the said accounts last month.

The lawmaker urged Garcia to issue an explanation, and offered an “option” if he failed to provide an acceptable explanation.

“Kung magre-resign siya, pwede rin, hindi ba? It is an option for him, unless he is able to explain this well, which is acceptable to the public. I think the burden shifted to him aleady. Can he explain this? He should explain all these,” Marcoleta said.

“Kaya niya bang patunayan ito? ‘Pag hindi niya kayang patunayan ito, hindi ba pwedeng kayo na ang mag-pressure sa kanya, baka may gusto pa siyang gawin alang-alang sa pagmamahal sa bansa niya,” he told the media.

PUBLIC HEARING

Garcia dared Marcoleta to call for a public hearing on the allegations.

Garcia issued the challenge hours after the lawmaker filed a resolution seeking a probe on Garcia and Miru Systems where the agency will lease some 110,000 automated counting machines for next year’s elections. 

“Gusto ko yang hearing. Para matanong sa akin, sino nagbigay sa akin ng white paper na iyan, saan galing? Sino may bigay sa kanya at ano ipinangako ng nagbigay. Willing ako sagutin lahat ng katanungan na yan sapagkat sinabi sa akin face to face sino may bigay at ano pinangako sa kanya,” Garcia said.  

(I like that hearing. So they can ask me who gave me that white paper? Who gave it to that person and what was the promise given to that person. I am willing to answer all the questions because it was confided to me face-to-face.) 

“Nilalako kasi mga information na iyan. Ang tanong, pag ba nawala ako sa Comelec, titigil ba pagbato sa Comelec? Lalo na kung gamitin natin ay bagong makina? Hindi solusyon pagre resign. Ang solusyon alamin ang katotohanan. Sino ang mga nasa likod ng lahat ng ito?” Garcia added. 

(That information is being offered to many. The question is, if I’m out of Comelec, will the attacks against Comelec stop especially if we will use the new machine? The solution is not by resigning but in finding the truth and who are the people behind all these.)

The “white paper” Garcia was referring to was the source of information that his accuser was using as basis on his allegations that he’s keeping 22 offshore bank accounts. 

The only thing that is considered “new” in the latest attack against him according to Garcia, is the introduction of a supposed New York bank account, which was not part of the first press conference against him.

“Paano namin nalaman? Apat na numero andoon sa account ‘yon ay wala po at hindi tumutugma sa kahit anong account number na pinrovide (provide). Ibig sabihin, bagong account po ito,” Garcia said.

(How did we know? Four numbers in that supposed account do not match in the provided account. Meaning, that’s a newly-opened account.)

According to the Comelec chief, they verified the supposed “newly created” bank account bearing his name and another thing that they saw was, a consulting firm, and not a supposed “friend” deposited the $100 to his supposed account.

“Mukhang hindi po isang kaibigan o supporter ang nagpadala noong $100. Mukha pong isang consulting firm ang nagpadala. Nandoon po sa ipinadalang picture noong mismong pagpapadala,” Garcia said.

(It’s not a friend or supporter, but a consulting firm that deposited that $100. It’s in the photo.)

Adding: “Actually, consulting firm sya at PR firm po siyang nagpadala ng pera. Nagpadala po siya from Chase Bank papuntang New York Bank. Yung isa naman from Chase Bank papuntang Cayman Island. Yung pinakita po kanina (sa presscon), yun po yung bank transaction lang. Sana po nahanapan natin nasaan po yung confirmation na tinanggap yung mismong $100?”

(That consulting firm who sent the money is a PR firm. From Chase bank, it sent money to New York Bank. I just hope that we also asked for a confirmation slip that that deposited $100 was received.)

Garcia insisted banks in the United States only allow individuals to open a personal bank account if they have a Social Security number and an official address in the US.

While stressing that the congressman’s allegations against him was a rehashed version of the initial white paper that the former exposed in a previous news briefing, what’s noteworthy he pointed out, was his accuser’s insistence that the Comelec should just use the old counting machine that the country used in previous elections.

“Nalulungkot ako na biglang sinabi na sana gamitin na lang lumang makina. Isipin mo ang isyu mula sa bribery at corruption, bakit may biglang paggamit? Yung dati naming provider, as early as May, paulit ulit na binabanggit na dapat gamitin lumang makina. Ilang beses sumulat sa akin. Bakit hindi offer bagong makina base sa bagong TOR?,” Garcia asked.

(It saddens me to hear that they want us to use the old machine. The issue was supposedly bribery and corruption and suddenly there’s a call to use the old machine. Our old provider wrote to me for a number of times, insisting that we use the old machine. Why not iffer a new machine based on a new terms of reference?)

“Pag dumating ang pagdinig ng Congress kung sakali, sana matanong sa akin, saan galing yun Chairman, sino nagbigay sa yo at sino nagbigay sa kanya? Magandang challenge yan sapagkat willing ako sabihin lahat dahil hindi hearsay yun. Personal na sinabi sa akin ng pinag-abutan ng mismong white paper na yun,” he added.

(I am hoping that I will be asked in that hearing, who gave you that paper Chairman and who gave that to your source? That’s a good challenge because I am willing to tell all and that is not a hearsay. That person who received that paper told me everything about it.)

With this latest allegation against him, Garcia has vowed to issue another waiver to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).

Garcia stressed he will not heed to his accuser’s call for him to resign.

Garcia believes that the demolition against him will continue with an attempt to distract and pressure the Comelec to the call of his accusers to use the old polling machine.

Garcia assured the public that the Commission will continue all its needed preparations to ensure an orderly, peaceful and honest elections.