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BY PRINCE GOLEZ
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Friday, October 13, 2017
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MANILA – Several officials welcomed Andres Bautista’s decision to resign as Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman by the end of the year.
“We respect the decision of Chairman Andy Bautista,” Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement.
Malacañang received Bautista’s resignation letter on Wednesday.
President Rodrigo Duterte’s top communication aide said they also wish Bautista well.
Bautista said he is stepping down to rest and give more time to his family.
“The approximate 10-week period is meant to provide you, Mr. President, sufficient time to choose my replacement, as well as ensure a smooth and orderly transition within the commission,” Bautista said.
The decision to step down was not an easy decision, the chairman said in a letter to the Comelec.
“I believe I have served our commission well and the Filipino people to the best of my ability, but only with your faithful help and constant support,” he said.
He also thanked his staff for sticking with him “amid the hurtful, baseless and malicious accusations hurled against me.”
Earlier Bautista’s wife Patricia Paz accused him of having ill-gotten wealth and getting involved in corruption.
An impeachment complaint filed against Bautista was dismissed by the House of Representatives justice committee due to insufficiency in form.
But the House on Wednesday overturned this decision and voted to impeach the Comelec chairman.
Sen. Franklin Drilon, meanwhile, regarded Bautista’s resignation as the right move.
“It is the best thing that he can do so that after he quits office, he can take care of his problems,” said the Senate minority leader. “No one can say that he’s using the power of his office to influence the outcome of the case.”
According to Sen. Panfilo Lacson, resigning was the “decent thing” for Bautista to do “given the situation he is in.”
“He (Bautista) can focus on his personal and domestic problems instead of allowing the same to get in the way of his official duties as Comelec chair,” Lacson said./PN
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