Comelec tags Smartmatic over offshore accounts
2024-Aug-09 10:00
OFFSHORE ACCOUNTS. Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairperson George Erwin Garcia presents to media documents purportedly showing the origins of his alleged offshore bank accounts in the Cayman Islands during a press briefing at the Comelec main office in Intramuros, Manila, on Thursday (July 17, 2024). Garcia said poll service provider Smartmatic could be behind the alleged demolition job against Comelec, an allegation that Smartmatic said is baseless and mere speculation. (PNA/Yancy Lim)
MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has allegedly unraveled those behind the two offshore bank accounts in Cayman Islands supposedly owned by the head of the poll body.
According to Comelec Chairman George Garcia, upon thorough research, they found out that the address of the entity that opened the said accounts in Cayman Island National Bank and Scotia Bank Cayman Island is the same as the address of their former service provider.
"Sana po masagot ang katanungan kong ito. Wala po akong ibinibintang. Bakit po ba naman ang address sa Barbados, ang address ng company na sinasabi ko (Albatross Technologies Corporation) ay parehas sa address ng company na dati nating provider? Parehas na parehas po. Coincidence lang ba 'yan (I hope that my questions will be answered. I am not implying anything. Why is it the address in Barbados, the address I am talking about [Albatross Technologies Corporation] is the same as the address of the company of our former service provider? They are the same. Is it only coincidence)?" he said in a press conference on Thursday at the Comelec main office in Intramuros, Manila.
"Sana maipaliwanag sa atin. Isa lang konklusyon natin kapag ganyan, pero ayaw kong ako ang gumawa ng konklusyon (I hope it can be explained to us. There is only one conclusion, but I don't want to be the one to make that conclusion)," he added.
The poll body chief said they were able to trace the sender of the money to the two accounts from a certain Jaleo Consulting, LLC from Miami, Florida, which is owned by a certain Jose Herrera.
Garcia said Jose Herrera, an official of the consulting firm, is also a director of Albatross Technologies Corporation, a subsidiary of Smartmatic Services Corp.
Both corporations share the same address at Pine Lodge #26 Pine Road Belleville, St. Michael, Barbados.
"Yung isang tinatawag na Alfredo Anzola ay son-in-law nung isang Jose A. Herrera. At kung sino ba si Anzola? Kasama yung dalawa pang tao, sila po ay founders and owners ng ating dating provider (The one called Alfredo Anzola is the son-in-law of one Jose A. Herrera. And who is Anzola? He and two others are the founders and owners of our former service provider," he added.
Mere speculation
Meanwhile, Smartmatic denied the claims of the poll body chief.
"We are saddened to hear the latest accusations made by Comelec Chairman George Garcia about Smartmatic. Our company is not involved nor is behind any of the claims made by Chairman Garcia against us. Such accusations are both unfair and unjust," it said in a statement.
"Our focus solely remains in prioritizing our legal efforts on the case filed in the Supreme Court of the Philippines. Any suggestion to the contrary is baseless and mere speculation," the company added.
Smartmatic was the service provider of the Comelec starting from the May 2020 polls until the May 2022 elections.
However, the company was not allowed to participate in the bidding to automate the May 2025 polls.
The poll automation contract worth over P17 billion for next year's elections was awarded to South Korean firm Miru Systems. (PNA)