Sotto, Poe call for Senate probe on allegations vs. poll chief Bautista

At least two senators on Monday called for a Senate investigation on the allegation against Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairperson Andres Bautista that he supposedly amassed nearly P1 billion in ill-gotten wealth.

Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III filed Senate Resolution No. 456 asking the blue ribbon committee to look into Bautista’s alleged non-compliance with Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

“The Commission on Elections, as a constitutional body, must not only be compliant with the laws ensuring honesty and integrity in the performance of government service, but also be above suspicion of any irregularity being the guardian of the Philippine electoral system,” Sotto said.

Sotto cited the interview of Bautista’s wife as “personal knowledge...to the true and correct information as to the assets, liabilities and net worth” of the Comelec chairman.

“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 SALN,” the senator said.

Senator Grace Poe also said the issue is an “allegation of corruption of epic proportions” given the position of Bautista. Poe ran in the 2016 presidential elections.

“We should allow the proper and duly mandated offices to look deeper into the criminal aspect of the case,” Poe said in a statement.

“However, without any intention of pre-empting any possible complaint for impeachment in the Lower House, this should not deter the Senate from looking into the veracity of the other aspects of the allegations that appear to be supported by documentary evidence for purposes of coming up with appropriate remedial legislation,” she said.

Poe also urged a lifestyle check among top Comelec officials following the “shocking” revelations.

Bautista’s wife, Patricia Paz Bautista, submitted an affidavit to the NBI on August 1 saying her husband allegedly has almost P1 billion ill-gotten wealth, according to a report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Five days before she submitted her affidavit, Mrs. Bautista met with President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacañang, the same report said.

She told the President about the bank passbooks and other documents she has discovered detailing bank accounts and real estate properties in the name of her husband and some relatives.

Among these assets is a condominium unit in San Francisco, California which, she said, she was not aware of.

Mrs. Bautista said these were not included in the Comelec chairperson's 2016 SALN.

The Comelec chair, in an interview on GMA News' Unang Balita on Monday, dismissed his wife's claims and suspected their marital problem was the reason for her complaints.

"Matagal na po kaming may problemang mag-asawa na ngayon ay binabahiran ng pulitika," he said. "Kaya nga po kami may problema, nung 2013 pa, meron na po siya sigurong ibang minamahal."

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, for his part, said the allegations against Bautista may “involve serious violations of the Constitution.”

“Her allegations, if true, involve serious violations of the Constitution and the law which should be thoroughly vetted and investigated by the appropriate government agencies such as the NBI, Ombudsman, AMLC, OSG and BSP,” Escudero said.

Escudero was referring to the National Bureau of Investigation, Anti-Money Laundering Council, Office of the Solicitor General, and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has already ordered the NBI to probe the allegations of unexplained wealth. — RSJ, GMA News