Smartmatic vs Fox News linked to Ph bribe charges
By Cynthia Montojo
"I am surprised to learn about complaint filed against me… I have never been contacted by U.S. Department of Homeland Security about it for comment," former election administrator Andres Bautista wrote on X, formerly Twitter voting machine company currently suing Fox News for defamation has been implicated in alleged Philippine bribery scheme.
US Justice Department has filed money-laundering charges against Bautista, in case involving four executives from subsidiaries of Smartmatic, according to court documents.
Bautista had awarded Smartmatic $199 million contract to supply Philippines with 94,000 voting machines for 2016 presidential election won by Rodrigo Duterte.
Executives , who have not been identified, are implicated as uncharged co-consiprators and are alleged to have "caused or attempted" to transfer $4 million to Bautista "in violation of US money laundering laws" .
According to documents Smartmatic executives used "slush funds" and "fake contracts" to facilitate alleged bribes and masked their actions with phony email accounts.
"But let me be very clear… I did not ask for nor receive any bribe money from Smartmatic or any other entity," he said, adding 2016 presidential election in the Philippines was "hailed by various independent national and local election stakeholders as best managed in our electoral history."
Smartmatic is already embroiled in several lawsuits against Fox News and former allies of former US President Donald Trump, including Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, over claims that its machines were used to manipulate results of 2020 US election.
Smartmatic spokeswoman Samira Saba said in statement Florida-based company "has never won project through any illegal means" and that allegations in the case against Bautista are "not related to Smartmatic election security or integrity."
There is no indication that Bautista is currently in US custody, and court filing against him does not accuse Smartmatic of tampering with Philippine election results, media added.
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