Solon: P1B deposits linked to ‘25 automated polls deal
BY GERARD NAVAL and WENDELL VIGILIA
ELECTIONS chairman George Garcia has authorized the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look into and open the 49 offshore bank accounts that Rep. Rodante Marcolate (PL, Sagip) yesterday said allegedly received deposits of at least P120 million from Korean banks between June 2023 and March 2024.
Marcoleta did not name Garcia as the owner of the offshore bank accounts during the press conference where he alleged that an official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) received deposits of almost P1 billion in his 49 offshore bank accounts between June 22, 2023 to March 22, 2024.
Marcoleta refused to identify the election official pending further verification of the bank deposits but said it could be linked to the P17.9 billion automated vote-counting contract between the Comelec and controversial South Korean firm Miru Systems Co. Ltd.
“All the indications lead to a Comelec official,” Marcoleta said in a press conference at a hotel in Quezon City. “Sa ngayon (As of now), it leads to only one person.”
In an interview, Garcia said he is the poll official being referred to by Marcoleta.
“Let’s not beat around the bush. I will tell you. I am the one being referred to because it is also my name that is being floated on social media,” said Garcia.
“Let us not think of other Comelec officials. There is nobody else. I’m the one they are referring to,” he said, adding that he has known that this allegation will be thrown at him for two weeks now.
Marcoleta said reports reaching his office showed that the offshore accounts involved are in Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Caribbean and North America. “The total offshore bank account (is) worth $15.2 million or almost P1 billion,” he said.
He said the “array” of information he was able to gather is “intriguing and alarming to say the least.”
“Why the need for (more than) 40 offshore bank accounts if not to move sizeable amounts of money? The accounts are traceable to one Comelec official,” he said, adding his investigation is still “a work in progress.”
“Is the Comelec not obligated to make a response? We owe it to ourselves and the next generation to protect the integrity of the electoral process,” he said.
Marcoleta said the first deposit from a Korean bank worth $148,000 was made on June 22, 2023 by one Stephen Shultz/Kyong Baek from the Standard Chartered Bank (Jong Ro Main Branch, Korea) to account number 5530198142761, Standard Chartered Bank, Singapore.
“Then, what is the milestone? Meaning to say, what is the event held alongside this? In June 2023, Comelec declared the previously procured and government-owned VCMs as unserviceable,” he recalled.
The Comelec on May 5, 2023 announced it was searching for new vote-counting machines (VCMs) because of plans to upgrade to VCMs capable of combining the current optical mark reader (OMR) technology and direct recording electronic (DRE) or touch-screen capabilities.
On June 15 that same year, a petition to disqualify Smartmatic from participating in the bidding process for the 2025 automated elections was filed, Marcoleta pointed out.
On August 15, 2023, one Hyun Doo Yoon deposited $157,350 from Woori Bank in Seaoul to a Bank of Shanghai, China account number 7300083602150
Marcoleta said the corresponding milestone was the July 21, 2023 Comelec approval of the terms of preference for the 2025 national elections. “The TOR was approved without convening the Comelec Advisory Council (CAC) which is in violation of the Omnibus Election Code,” he said.
On August 23 that same year, a certain Dae Seong Han deposited $285,900 from the KB Kookmin Bank in Seoul to HSBC Bank in Hong Kong with account number 3310457011274.
Marcoleta pointed out that on August 10 that year, the Comelec en banc issued an order directing its law department to comment on the petition seeking the disqualification of Smartmatic.
On September 13, 2023, a certain Hwan Lee deposited $157,488 from Shinhan Bank (Seoul) to the same HSBC Hong Kong bank account while one Heejin Kang deposited $188,540 from the KEB Hana Bank (Seoul) to OCBC bank Singapore account number 1138500714205.
Marcoleta recalled that it was on that same month that the Comelec began market survey on potential bidders for the 2025 national and local elections and that according to the poll body, as much as 10 companies have shown interest to bid for the AES system and the new VCMs.
On October 18, 2023, depositor Stephen Shultz/ Kyong Baek deposited $295,280 from Standard Chartered Bank, Jong Ro Main Branch, Korea to Standard Chartered Bank Singapore.
Marcoleta said this was when the Comelec disqualified Smartmatic on allegations of bribery “based in mere allegations in the US in connection to former Comelec chair Andy Bautista.”
The lawmaker said the deposits continued until early this year, the last of which was last March 22 when one Deborah Reed deposited $178,200 from the Hana Bank (Seoul) to Bank of Shanghai China account number 7300083602150.
Marcoleta noted that on February 22, the Comelec announced the award of the contract to Miru, followed by the Korean firm’s receipt of the Notice of Award on February 23 and the March 11 contract signing.
The lawmaker has been urging the House leadership to order the Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms to formally begin an inquiry into the contract between Comelec and Miru after the Supreme Court ruled that the poll body committed grave abuse of discretion when it disqualified Smartmatic-TIM from participating in the bidding for the 2025 Automated Election System (AES) contract.
Marcoleta, a lawyer, has warned that Republic Act (RA) No. 9369 or the Automated Election Law will be violated if the Comelec allows Miru to use what it calls its “two-systems-in-one” to collect and count votes in the 2025 midterm polls.
WAIVER
Garcia denied Marcoleta’s allegations, saying he neither owns any foreign bank accounts nor any properties abroad as claimed by the lawmaker.
“I will answer it categorically to the people, with God as my witness, I do not have any foreign account or any house or property in any foreign lands. If I have any properties, it is here in the Philippines because I don’t leave the country that often,” said the poll chief.
Garcia said he is prepared to issue a waiver and participate in any probe that will be conducted regarding the said allegations.
“I asked the National Bureau of Investigation and gave them the authority to open what needs to be opened, and investigate what needs to be investigated,” he said.
On the other hand, he questioned why Marcoleta is making public claims that the solon himself has yet to verify.
“What he said during the presscon was really malicious. He admitted that the information is not verified. But even if it is not, the fact that it was said publicly, the credibility of the Comelec will be tainted,” Garcia said.
He said the allegations of Marcoleta are all part of a grand demolition job targeting the Commission and Miru Systems.
“I am not surprised at all with these allegations because this is part of the plan we have uncovered. There will be more of this. If this one isn’t successful, there are other plans,” said Garcia.
‘FALSE ALLEGATIONS’
In a statement, Miru denied insinuations that it is involved in acts of malpractice with Comelec officials.
The South Korean firm stressed that they have been and shall solely be focused on delivering what it promised to the Philippines for the May 2025 national and local polls.
“Miru stays focused on delivering the best possible automated system that will fit the needs of the Filipino people amid false allegations that have recently been circulated among the media,” said Miru.
“We have always acted in good faith and have proven the quality of both the machines themselves and our capacity to deliver all requirements on time through several public demonstrations, and will continue to show transparency as we move forward with our responsibility for the upcoming election,” it added.
To note, Miru recently hosted the Comelec and other Philippine election stakeholders in touring its manufacturing plant in South Korea.
Miru has also began delivering the initial batches of the automated counting machines (ACMs) to be used come the 2025 national and local elections.
