Comelec to probe other personalities in Bautista case

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections is looking into other personalities who may be involved in the bribery and money laundering charges against former Comelec chief Andres Bautista.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia yesterday reported that the commission is gathering documents that may be used by the US government in the court case against Bautista.

“We don’t want to reach the point where the case in the US is moving and the Comelec is doing nothing… Some other people might be involved and are not accused and able to go scot-free just because they were not investigated by the US,” Garcia said in a television interview.

Last week, the federal grand jury in the Southern District of California indicted Bautista for allegedly taking bribes from a technology provider in exchange for awarding a multibillion-peso contract for the 2016 elections.

Bautista was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering along with three officials of former Comelec technology provider Smartmatic.

Garcia said the indictment against Bautista served as “guidance” for the poll body to dig up important documents.

“The documents America have are limited. But we have the documents of the transactions they mentioned,” Garcia said, adding that he has ordered the gathering of all minutes of the meetings, vouchers and financial documents concerning the contract.

“Our purpose here is to determine the root cause of all these. Did the government really lose P700 million? To whom did it go? Who is responsible?” he added.

Garcia noted that the Comelec is trying to determine whether other poll personnel are involved in the alleged conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Bautista was the poll chief when the contract to supply the country with 94,000 voting machines for the 2016 presidential election was awarded to Smartmatic.

Foreign interference

Meanwhile, National Security Council assistant director general Jonathan Malaya confirmed yesterday that the National Security Council (NSC) is concerned with the possible interference of foreign actors in the midterm elections next year.

Malaya, in an interview with “Storycon” on One News, said they are monitoring increased “foreign malign influence and interference,” particularly through the use of online trolls that push China’s narratives.

“We’ve raised this already with the Comelec. We’ve had several discussions with the Comelec and (they) assured us that this is something that they are protecting,” he said.

Malaya said their concern is on three levels: possible hacking of elections systems, battle of narratives to change foreign policy and payoffs or bribes to certain politicians.

“It is important for these foreign actors to be able to influence elections next year because foreign policy is a big part now of our national life. I’m sure that we will see this as the days progress and I think it’s incumbent for the NSC to take a look at it,” Malaya added.

He said foreign interference, including efforts to promote certain narratives, could potentially be a threat to the country’s national security as he noted the use of online trolls who spread false information by repeating China’s narratives on social media.

“Obviously, these people are being manipulated or utilized by China to advance their narratives in the Philippines,” said Malaya.

“Remember, it’s important for the Filipino people to have the right information and support government in asserting our rights in the West Philippine Sea… What they are doing is trying to weaken our position and drive a wedge between the public, and between the Philippines and the US, for their own interests,” he added. — Janvic Mateo