THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday announced the creation of a task force that will conduct a fact-finding probe on the controversy surrounding the 2016 automated election system (AES) project.
In an interview, Comelec chairman George Garcia said he has ordered the creation of the “Chairman’s Task Force” to look at the allegations of corruption and irregularities that allegedly attended the bidding process for the AES project.
“We created a task force to investigate whatever had happened on that particular year. We want to know the root cause of this. Are the accusations true? What are the evidence in the hands of America? Who are the other people involved in this issue?” said Garcia.
“The Comelec wants to know who is involved. How many are involved? Are they still with the Comelec? What is the extent of their participation? We are not accusing anything. We are not saying there is a guilty party. But, as an act of diligence, we need to show that we are not hiding anything,” he added.
The poll chief said he has already issued a memorandum ordering concerned departments of the Commission to make available all the necessary documents, contracts, and papers related to the 2016 procurement of the AES.
“The Task Force will review all documents and will need to finish before the year ends,” said Garcia.
He said he personally handpicked all the 12 members of the task force based on their credibility and relations to the process. He did not identify the members.
Asked if the task force will be filing charges, if necessary, after conducting its probe, Garcia answered in the negative.
“If filing of a case would be necessary, it will be the Comelec en banc that shall do so,” said Garcia.
Earlier, money laundering charges were filed by the United States Department of Homeland Security against former Comelec chairman Andres Bautista, who was in office from April 2015 to October 2017.
The report said the money laundered through US accounts are allegedly bribe money given to Bautista from top executives of an unnamed poll technology company.
