MANILA – Top officials of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) have firmly denied calls for resignation or leave amid allegations of bribery involving local and foreign bank accounts.
During a press briefing on Wednesday (17 July 2024) at the Comelec main office in Intramuros, Manila, Chairperson George Erwin Garcia, and his fellow commissioners stood united against these accusations.
Garcia dismissed the idea of resignation, stating, “Taking a leave or courtesy resignation of a member of the Commission is impossible. Are they nuts?”
The controversy centers around Comelec’s contract with South Korean firm Miru Systems Inc. for the 2025 polls automation project, a case currently pending before the Supreme Court. Garcia cited the sub judice principle as the reason for their silence on the case’s merits.
Senior Commissioner Socorro Inting urged critics to take their claims to court rather than attacking the Commission publicly. “Do not crucify us in the court of public opinion. Crucify us in the courts of law because we will be ready to face you with our evidence,” she asserted.
On Tuesday, the Comelec employees’ union expressed support for Garcia, calling the allegations a systematic attack on the institution’s credibility. Garcia thanked the members and workers for their backing.
Garcia also mentioned the possibility of falsification charges against those releasing dubious documents, noting that possessing a falsified document presumes authorship. This statement followed former Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice’s submission of documents supposedly linking a Comelec official to foreign bank accounts.
The National Bureau of Investigation is currently investigating these claims.
(el Amigo/mnm)
