Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 5) — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia has confirmed that the United States government reached out for assistance in its money laundering case against former poll body chief Andres Bautista.
Garcia said they gave all the needed documents, after the Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ) coordinated with them regarding the request of the DOJ’s American counterpart.
“I would like to confirm that statement na may coordination sa amin ang US government,\” he told reporters on Thursday. \”Subalit hindi ko mare-reveal ano
mga documents at sino yung mga taong gusto nilang makausap o nakausap.”
[Translation: I would like to confirm that the US government coordinated with us. But I cannot reveal the documents and who they want to talk to or have talked to.]
Garcia revealed they received a letter regarding the investigation late last year, following his appointment as Comelec chairman.
However, he said they still have not seen the charge sheet or the official document detailing the charges against someone being accused of a crime.
News reports said Bautista is being sued for money laundering following his wife Patricia Paz Bautista’s allegations that he has ill-gotten wealth secured from anomalous deals linked to the 2016 polls.
The former poll body chief has since denied the allegations and receiving \”bribe money.\”
Garcia is hopeful they will be given a copy of the documents used in the US government’s investigation to aid in their own probe.
“Baka pupwede ma-share sa amin mga dokumento o yung mga statements na ginamit nila sa kaso upang kami rin mismo ay ma-verify namin yung authenticity at due execution at integrity ng documents at statements na yan,” he said.
[Translation: The documents might possibly be shared with us or the statements used in the case so we can verify the authenticity and its due execution and integrity of the statements.]
Garcia earlier this week ordered the creation of a \”chairman’s task force\” to look into the alleged \”rigged bidding\” in the procurement process in 2016.
But he clarified that the fact-finding body is not directly looking into Bautista. Instead, the focus is on how to fix possible loopholes in its process, he also said.
“Ang importante sa amin, malaking tulong yung ganung klaseng impormasyon na yun upang ayusin namin at tingnan aling parte ng procurement process na meron ang Comelec ang vulnerable sa manipulation kung meron man, sa irregularity kung meron man, para maayos natin,” he pointed out.
[Translation: What’s important to us, that information is a big help so we can fix and see which part of the procurement process of Comelec is vulnerable to manipulation and should it exist, can be fixed.]
