Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Chairman George Erwin Garcia said allegations linking him to the ‘suitcase scheme’ tied to an anomalous flood control project may constitute oral defamation, as he rejected statements made by 18 witnesses in the controversy and pointed to inconsistencies in their claims.

Garcia made the remarks in an interview on DZRH’s Dos Por Dos, following a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee press conference on June 16 led by the Cayetano-led bloc together with the 18 witnesses, also dubbed as “maleta boys”.

The witnesses allegedly claimed Garcia received a suitcase containing funds from irregular flood control projects.

“Oral defamation po yan kasi tatandaan natin, ‘yan may liability, di pwede basta ka lang magaakusa,” he said.

Garcia said that because the accusations were made publicly despite not being sworn, they may fall under oral defamation, stressing that public statements imputing wrongdoing can carry legal liability even outside court proceedings.

The COMELEC chair further pointed to what he described as shifting details in the accusations, noting that the number of alleged suitcases changed from four to one bag, and that the supposed amount was also adjusted.

He also said the reported location of the alleged exchange varied across statements.

“Dati po apat na maleta ang inaakusa sa akin. Ngayon ginawa nalang bag… Tapos dati-dati sa harap ng hotel sa may Roxas Boulevard. Ngayon nasa isang street nga sa Makati,” Garcia said, adding that the inconsistencies raised questions about the credibility of the claims.

He also noted that the statements were not made under oath, saying they were not sworn affidavits or testimony in any formal proceeding.

Garcia also questioned Comelec’s alleged inclusion in the flood control controversy, saying the agency has no role in such projects.

He said any legal action must be carefully prepared and “airtight,” adding that cases should not be filed merely for appearance.

“Hindi yung nagkaso para for the sake na makapag-kaso… kinakailangan may mananagot sapagkat mali ang ginawa at hindi totoo ang sinabi,” he said.

Garcia said the varying narratives could be tested in formal proceedings, including cross-examination, where credibility would be examined more closely.

He also raised questions about possible interests behind the accusations, citing the timing ahead of the 2028 elections, though he stopped short of directly accusing specific individuals.

“Yan po pwede tayo mag-speculate… Bakit bigla nilang isasama si Comelec sa bagay na yan?” he said.

Garcia added that while he has possible ideas on who may be behind the allegations, he said it is not yet the right time to publicly name them.