News Roundup 08 August 2024
Aug 08, 2024 • 5 min Read
Comelec chair bares suspicions on origin of alleged ‘fake’ deposits | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines (Updated 6:27 p.m.) — Commission on Elections Chairperson George Garcia on Thursday presented documents alleging an overseas firm with ties to a certain “Smartmatic Services Corp.” fabricated the deposits that were used to accuse him of owning offshore bank accounts.
Garcia disclosed his office’s findings that “Jaleo Consulting LLC,” an alleged public relations firm owned by a certain Jose Herrera, was the entity that made the deposits into his purported offshore bank accounts in the Cayman Islands.
The Comelec chief said his investigation found that Herrera is the director of Albatross Technologies Corporation, a firm that shares an address with a company named “Smartmatic Services Corp.” in the United States, according to an online business directory website.
“Ang address ng (The address of) Albatross Technologies Corporation ay #26 Pine Road Belleville, St. Michael, Barbados. Hindi ko nga alam saan iyong Barbados (I don’t know where Barbados is),” Garcia said.
“Siyempre galing ng staff ko, ni-research yung address. Wala akong binibintang. Pero bakit naman ang address sa Barbados ng company na sinasabi ko ay parehas sa address ng company ng dati nating provider?” the Comelec chief said.
(Of course, my staff researched the address. I’m not making any accusations. But why does the address in Barbados of the company I’m mentioning match the address of our former provider’s company?)
“Coincidence lang ba ‘yan? Sana maipaliwanag saatin (Is that a coincidence? I hope it can be explained to us),” Garcia said.
An online search of the address stated by Garcia turns up a page of “Smartmatic Services Corp.” from the website of “Dun & Bradstreet.” The website states that it “collects private company financials for more than 23 million companies worldwide.”
Documents from the Barbados Corporate Registry, as displayed in the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists’ database dubbed the “Paradise Papers,” show that the address Garcia mentioned is the “registered office” of “Smarmatic Solutions Corporation.”
Full Story at: Comelec chair bares suspicions on origin of alleged ‘fake’ deposits | Philstar.com
Quiboloy, SMNI bank accounts, properties ordered frozen | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Court of Appeals has ordered the freezing of bank accounts and assets belonging to fugitive doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy and his co-accused in cases both in the U.S. and local courts.
In a 51-page decision promulgated on August 6, the appellate court granted the petition of the Anti-Money Laundering Council, stating that the bank accounts are linked to “unlawful activities and predicate crimes” allegedly committed by Quiboloy and the others accused.
The freeze order is effective immediately and lasts for 20 days unless extended by the court. During this period, the person or an entity is unable to use their assets and properties.
Assets ordered frozen include:
- At least 10 bank accounts belonging to Quiboloy
- Seven real properties
- Five motor vehicles
- One aircraft
- 27 bank accounts belonging to Paulene Canada, a co-accused in Quiboloy’s qualified human trafficking cases
- Bank accounts of other individuals: Maria Dandan, Helen Panilag, Cresente Canada, Ingrid Canada, Sylvia Cemañes, Jackielyn Roy, Alona Santander, and Marlon Acobo
- 23 bank accounts of Children’s Joy Foundation, a foster care center founded by Quiboloy
Also frozen by the appellate court were 47 bank accounts of Quiboloy’s “church,” the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and 17 bank accounts of Swara Sug Media Corp., the parent company of the suspended Sonshine Media Network International, or SMNI.
The court instructed banks and government agencies to provide information about the frozen bank accounts and assets within 24 hours of receiving the freeze order.
Full Story at: Quiboloy, SMNI bank accounts, properties ordered frozen | Philstar.com
Comelec chair to file complaint vs Marcoleta over offshore bank claims | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia said on Thursday that he is eyeing to file an ethics complaint against Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta who claimed that the poll chief owned offshore bank accounts.
“Yes, there is no problem because in the end there needs to be a remedy in such events, especially fabrication and falsification of documents,” Garcia said in Filipino when asked if he would file an ethics complaint against Marcoleta over the offshore bank accounts allegations.
“In our country, if you steal an apple, you will be labeled a thief. We can’t say it’s okay if a man in power falsifies. The law should be equal for both. If you falsify, whatever your status in life is, you falsify,” he added.
Marcoleta previously claimed that Garcia owned offshore bank accounts and even presented to the media documents showing supposed bank transfers worth $100 to Garcia’s alleged two offshore bank accounts. Marcoleta said they tapped the help of volunteers in New York, USA to make the bank deposits.
But Garcia debunked Marcoleta’s claim, saying the foreign banks where the $100 was transferred were recently opened accounts. According to the Comelec chair, bank transactions will push through even with wrong names for as long as the account numbers are correct.
Full Story at: Comelec chair to file rap vs Marcoleta over offshore bank claims (inquirer.net)
Pimentel on Padilla’s Cha-cha plea: Let’s not waste SC’s precious time | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — “Let us not waste the Supreme Court’s precious time.”
These were the words used by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III when he was asked to comment on Sen. Robinhood Padilla’s latest Charter change (Cha-cha) petition filed before the Supreme Court.
Pimentel’s remarks came after Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero admitted to thinking that Padilla’s bid is still premature to be tackled.
Padilla, who heads the Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes, earlier filed a petition before the Supreme Court, asking for an urgent oral argument to resolve the issue of whether both chambers of Congress should vote jointly or separately on amendments to the 1987 Constitution.
Pimentel backed Escudero’s remarks, emphasizing that Padilla’s bid is better addressed in another platform.
Full Story at: Pimentel on Padilla Cha-cha plea: Let’s not waste SC’s time (inquirer.net)
