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Comelec Chairman George Garcia delivers his message during the Philippine Disability Convention and Expo at the SMX convention hall at the Mall of Asia in Pasay city on July 16, 2024. The commission on elections is strengthening relations for a more accessible election process for Persons with Disabilities and empower PWD voters for the 2025 NLE and succeeding elections. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN news

Comelec Chairman George Garcia delivers his message during the Philippine Disability Convention and Expo at the SMX convention hall at the Mall of Asia in Pasay city on July 16, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/file

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Comelec Chairman George Garcia 

Sherrie Ann Torres

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia will seek the assistance of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to help him advance his concern to the US government regarding his supposed offshore accounts being alleged by a congressman.Through the DFA, Garcia will request the US Department of Justice to investigate his supposed offshore accounts and what he sees as “identity theft and bank fraud” committed by those who are trying to destroy his reputation.“Tayo rin po ay hihingi ng tulong sa kanila (US DOJ) upang maimbestigahan. Sapagkat kune-kunektado po ito eh... maaaring doon sa iba pa nilang iniimbestigahang mga bagay,” Garcia said.(We are going to ask their help because all these are interrelated issues that must be investigated)Garcia is writing a letter to the US Justice Department – to be coursed through the DFA — with an appeal to probe the suspected people floating his alleged two offshore accounts as mentioned last week by Sagip party-list Representative Rodante Marcoleta.The request also includes uncovering those who made the $100 deposits to his supposed bank account, and one “Jaleo Consulting” which appears in Marcoleta’s distributed bank transaction documents when he held a news conference.“Gusto natin alamin, sino talaga may-ari nung dalawang accounts na binanggit. Maaaring dalawang accounts na nage-exist or kabubukas pa lamang or matagal na andyan sa pangalan ng ibang tao, pagkatapos biglang dinepositohan ng $100 kuno at pagkatapos ay ni-reflect ang pangalan ko na at may nakalagay pa ng address sa Makati City, at may nakalagay pang KY. Kentucky, USA. Pinalabas na akin yun,” Garcia said.(We want to know who owns those two accounts. These accounts may already be existing for a time, then suddenly, someone deposited $100 reflecting my name with my Makati address and that KY or Kentucky USA, to appear that those bank accounts belong to me.)“Dahil binanggit kumpletong account numbers, madaling makita... Sana nga sa pamamagitan ng tulong ng US DOJ at iba pang ahensiya ng gobyerno malaman sino may-ari ng dalawang accounts na &#x27;yan,&quot; he said.(Because the complete account numbers were shown, we are hoping that the US Department of Justice and the other concerned government agencies would uncover who own those two accounts.)Apart from writing to the US Department of Justice, Garcia disclosed that he will also be sending another request to the National Bureau of Investigation. This request will include all their gathered documents and evidence about what he said were fabricated bank accounts, which will be probed to identify and arrest the people behind this.<div></div>Garcia earlier sought the assistance of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) regarding the bribery allegations being hurled against him by Marcoleta.Aside from an NBI probe, Garcia has also asked the Anti-Money Laundering Council to investigate the veracity of secret bank allegations against him with the estimated P1 billion deposited, courtesy of its contracted 110,000 automated counting machines from Miru Systems Co Ltd.The NBI already gave Garcia names of people of interest, he said.According to allegations against Garcia, his accounts have received as much as P1 billion from the commission&#x27;s alleged favored firm Miru Systems.<div>MARCOLETA REMAINS A &#x27;FRIEND,&#x27; SAYS GARCIA</div> A former election lawyer who stood as legal counsel to  “83 congressmen” before joining the Comelec, Garcia maintained that he was able to maintain a good, working relationship with former and current members of Congress.Garcia said that Marcoleta is among the congressmen he considered a friend.“Mabuti naman po ang aking pagtingin kay Congressman Marcoleta. Matapat na kaibigan yan at naging kliyente yan. Maaaring to ay misinformed lang, at saka misappreciation ng facts,”  Garcia said.(I still see him as a true friend because he was my client. He could just be misinformed, or this is just a misappreciation of facts.)“Hindi po nagbabago ang aking pagsaludo sa kanya (Marcoleta) at bilang pagtingin sa kanya bilang ginagalang na abogado at iginagalang na mambabatas. Ang akin lang siguro, baka pwedeng makitang mabuti or baka ma-review po natin na mabuti,” the poll chief said.(My respect for him does not wane. I still respect him as a lawyer and as a congressman. For me, it&#x27;s just a call to review the facts carefully.)“Siguro naman sa pakikipag-kwentuhan nya sa iba, naging maayos naman po akong makipag-usap sa lahat. Kahit naman po sa paniningil eh (ng legal fees) hindi naman po ako garapalan at masyadong magulang. Therefore, ako po ay friendly to all, enemy to none.&quot; (Maybe he would hear from people that I treat everyone well. I don’t charge much. Therefore, I am friendly to all, enemy to none.)And despite the damaging allegations against him, Marcoleta remains his friend, Garcia said, adding that he will always be willing to have a dialogue with his accuser-congressman.“Willing po akong makipag-usap kahit na kanino. Sa bandang huli, kinakailangang magpaliwanagan, maibigay ang iyong side. Wala po akong problema doon,” he said.(I am willing to talk to anyone. In the end, we just need to explain each other’s side)<div> &#x27;ACCUSATIONS ARE HURTFUL&#x27; — GARCIA</div> Still, Garcia admitted the undeniable pain that his job is causing him these days.“Maaari pong minsan napakasakit. Ganun po pala kasakit kapag ka aakusahan ng hindi totoo... para bang nahahamak ang iyong pagkatao dahil nai-emphasize... nung nasa private practice ako walang ganyan eh, Garcia said.(There are times that it really gets very painful. I realized how painful it is if you are being falsely accused and your integrity is being dragged. There’s no such thing in the private practice.)“Alam ko ang buhay ng mga pulitiko. Pero iba pala pagka ikaw na ang nandito sa public service. Talagang kakaiba. Wala pong pinipiling kaibigan. Wala pong pinipiling maayos na kasama. Talaga pong kung pupwede kang mabiktima. Lalo na kung personal na interes ang mamayagpag,” he added.(I know the life of politicians, but its different when you are in actual public service. Even a friend is not spared. Anyone can be a victim especially if personal interest prevails.)Garcia said he doesn’t regret serving the government, which will be his last stint before he formally retires.Detractors can actually help instead of discrediting the Comelec as an institution, Garcia said.“Panawagan natin lalo na doon sa detractors ng Comelec. Sana naman po ay makatulong din tayo kung paano natin mabibigyan ng kaalaman ang mga kababayan natin na iparating sa kanila ang nalalapit na super election year,” Garcia said.(Our appeal to our detractors is, just help educate our people about the importance of the election next year.)He said despite attempts to discredit him and his leadership, the Comelec will continue its 2025 elections preparations, as well as in preparing their team in conducting plebiscite in Caloocan, Surigao province, Sultan Kudarat, Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao and other parts of the country.

Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia will seek the assistance of the Department of Foreign Affairs to help him advance his concern to the US government regarding his supposed offshore accounts being alleged by a congressman.

Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia will seek the assistance of the Department of Foreign Affairs to help him advance his concern to the US government regarding his supposed offshore accounts being alleged by a congressman.

Comelec chief wants US DOJ to look into alleged offshore accounts

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Comelec chief wants US DOJ to look into alleged offshore accounts

Sherrie Ann Torres,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 05, 2024 04:37 PM PHT

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