Ex-poll chief Bautista, 3 pa kinasuhan sa Florida
MANILA, Philippines — Kinumpirma kahapon ng Commission on Elections (Comelec) na sinampahan ng kaso ng US federal grand jury sa Florida si dating poll chief, Andres ‘Andy’ Bautista noong Huwebes, kaugnay ng alegasyong tumanggap ito ng suhol mula sa isang kumpanyang nag-suplay ng voting machine para sa 2016 elections sa bansa.
Ayon kay Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia, “We received an important update from the U.S. Department of Justice that four (4) individuals have been indicted by the federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida, namely former COMELEC Chairman Juan Andres Bautista, Roger Alejandro Piñate Martinez (President of Smartmatic), Elie Moreno, VP of Global Services Unit of Smartmatic and once the General Manager of Smartmatic Philippines) and Jose Miguel Velasquez (Smartmatic’s lead in Taiwan).”
Sa pahayag naman ng US Justice Department, nabatid na si Bautista, 60, ay pinaparatangan ng isang bilang ng conspiracy to commit money laundering at tatlong bilang ng international laundering ng monetary instruments.
Kasama rin sa indictment sina Roger Piñate, na general manager ng Smartmatic; Elie Moreno, vice president ng global services unit ng Smartmatic; at Jose Miguel Velasquez, Smartmatic vice president for external operations.
Sina Pinate at Velasquez ay pinaratangan rin naman ng one count ng conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) at isang substantive violation ng FCPA.
Ipinaliwanag ng US Justice department na ang indictment ay alegasyon lamang at lahat ng defendants nito ay “presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
Sakali naman umanong ma-convict, sina Bautista, Piñate, Velasquez, at Moreno ay maaaring maharap sa maximum penalty na 20 taon, sa bawat bilang ng international laundering ng monetary instruments at conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Sina Pinate at Velasquez ay maaari naman umanong maharap sa maximum penalty na limang taong pagkabilanggo para sa kasong paglabag sa FCPA at conspiracy sa paglabag sa FCPA counts.
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