Comelec chief says 2 Cayman Island banks deny his ‘offshore accounts’

Commission on Elections Chair George Garcia during a Senate hearing. INQUIRER.net file photo / NOY MORCOSO

MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia on Wednesday said two banks in Cayman Islands, where he allegedly owns offshore accounts, confirmed these are non-existent.

In a radio interview, Garcia said the Scotiabank and Cayman National Bank have responded to his inquiry regarding the existence of the two accounts supposedly under his name, based on allegations of Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta.

READ: Marcoleta tags Comelec chief Garcia in Caymans offshore bank controversy

“At least, we proved we have no accounts in these Cayman Islands banks,” the Comelec chief said.

“I was told that for a foreigner to open an account, they should appear personally in their branch, particularly where they intend to open an account,” he explained after he inquired about of the process of opening a bank account in any of the two banks.

Marcoleta has earlier accused the Comelec chairperson of owning bank accounts in the Cayman Islands, a British overseas territory, and had supposedly received deposits from banks in South Korea.

Garcia already denied having such accounts, adding that he has never been to the Cayman Islands, which is located in the Caribbean.