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BY PRINCE GOLEZ and ADRIAN STEWART CO
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MANILA – Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Andres Bautista was accused of corruption and having unexplained wealth. He is facing investigation.
His wife Patricia Paz Bautista claimed he had P1 billion worth of allegedly ill-gotten wealth, with several passbooks under his name.
The Comelec chairman “categorically” denied the accusation, saying it was “all lies” and his wife just wanted to “besmirch” his reputation.
Grace Poe called on her colleagues in the Senate to verify the allegation.
“It is an allegation of corruption of epic proportions that definitely concerns public interest, given the sensitive position … Bautista occupies,” she said.
“The information made public points to the possibility of a ‘husband vs. the people,’” she added. “[And] such shocking revelations make a lifestyle check among high Comelec officials urgent and needed.”
Sen. Vicente Sotto III yesterday filed Senate Resolution No. 456 urging the blue ribbon committee to investigate Bautista.
“There is a need to determine if the present law is adequate enough to ensure compliance by all public officials with the provisions on the required submission of the statement of assets, liabilities and net worth,” or SALN, said Sotto.
Malacañang said the allegations against Bautista will be “fully investigated.”
“The President’s stand is pretty clear regarding this matter,” said Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella. “He (Rodrigo Duterte) will not tolerate corruption, even a whiff of it.”
Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II also directed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look into Bautista’s alleged ill-gotten wealth.
In Department Order No. 517, Aguirre instructed the NBI to prove and, if possible, build a case based on the affidavit Patricia executed before the bureau saying Bautista misdeclared his SALN last year.
Moreover, “we will see if (Bautista) violated the Anti-Money Laundering Act” and other laws, the Justice secretary said.
Bautista welcomes any probe and is ready to face any charge. “Kung sakaling iimbestigahan nila ako, handa akong harapin iyan,” he said. “Kung kailangang magbitiw ako sa puwesto, walang problema.”
‘EXTORTION’
In a statement, Bautista accused his wife – who he claimed was having an affair with another man – of extorting money from him and blackmailing him “using her lawyers and media contacts.”
“It is now clear that she is motivated by greed and that she will stop at nothing to besmirch my reputation and that of my family for the purpose of financial gain,” he said. “It has been 10 months since she stole cash, GCs, ATM cards and other financial documents belonging to me, many of which her lawyers embellished, doctored or fabricated.”
Bautista believes “some opportunistic people” were using his wife “to serve [their] political agenda.”
In a news report published on Sunday, Patricia claimed she discovered bank and real property documents and several passbooks under Bautista’s name that were not included in his 2016 SALN. She alleged that Bautista “might have had, or currently has, misdealing and corrupt practices while in government service.”
MARITAL PROBLEMS
Bautista admitted to having marital problems since 2013.
“Itong problema pong ito ay nagsimula noong 2013 dahil mukhang mayroon po siyang third party at ito po ay alam ng marami,” he told reporters at the Comelec office yesterday. “Sinubukan ko pong isalba ang aming pagsasama ngunit walang nangyari.”
Bautista said they had undergone counseling but things turned for the worse in November last year when he went to the United States.
“Bigla pong nag-withdraw ang aking misis ng $117,000 at P250,000 sa aming joint account at inilipat sa kanyang account,” he said. “Ako po ay pinagbawalang umuwi sa aking sariling pamamahay. In fact, naglagay po sila ng mga goons, armed goons po, doon sa aming condo unit para hindi po ako makapasok.”
Bautista and his wife have four children.
When he was finally able to get in their house, Bautista said he found his locked cabinets open. “May mga dokumento na pag-aari ko po at pag-aari ng aking pamilya na ninakaw at dinoktor,” he said./PN
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