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Open to House probe: Poll chief dares Marcoleta to tell offshore accounts claims under oath
Open to House probe: Poll chief dares Marcoleta to tell offshore accounts claims under oath
By Dhel Nazario
"I hope he tell these accusations under oath and waive his immunity."
This was Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia challenge to SAGIP Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta's latest disclosure against the poll chief which involves two offshore bank accounts in the Cayman Islands.
Garcia said on Tuesday, August 1, that the two offshore bank accounts in the Cayman Islands allegedly owned by him are fake.
"Fake po ung accounts. Tapos kabubukas lang yung pinakita na pinadalhan ng US$100. Kahit sa local banks basta tama account number pero mali ang name ay successful pa rin transaction (The accounts are fake. These were just opened when the US$100 was deposited. Even in local banks, as long as the account numbers are correct and the name is correct, the transactions will be successful)," Garcia said in a text message.
This was in response to Marcoleta's challenge to Garcia who disclosed in a press conference that his verification team asked the help of a volunteer from New York in the United States (UU) to make a bank transfer of $100 each to two offshore bank accounts allegedly owned by Garcia.
Based on the receipts from Chase for Business presented by the lawmaker, the accounts were under the name of a certain “George Erwin Mojica Garcia” with an address in Makati City.
"Welcome po ako sa kahit ano investigation ng House of Representatives. Nag-issue po ako ng affidavit of denial at sworn waiver ng lahat ng ito nung unang prescon pa lang. Nag-iimbestiga na po ang National Bureau of Investigation at Anti-Money Laundering Council tungkol dito (I am welcome to any investigation of the HOR. I alreaedy issued an affidavit of denial and sworn waiver regarding this since his first press conference. The NBI and AMLC are already investigating this)," he said.
In response to Marcoleta's statement that “the burden of proof has shifted to him (Garcia) already”, the Comelec chief replied: "Naku lagi po nasa nag-aakusa. Ang akin po ay under oath ang denial at sworn ang waiver ko sa lahat ng accounts na yan. Kaya po kaya niya panumpaan (It's always on the accuser. My denial is under oath my waiver is sworn on all these accounts. Can he swear on it)?"
From the start, Garcia has denied such allegations, describing them as part of a “demolition job”.