Comelec chief says his family received a draft impeach rap against him

Commission on Elections chairman Andres Bautista on Wednesday revealed that his family received a draft of an impeachment complaint against him in an attempt to pressure him on the settlement issue with his wife.

In an interview with ANC, Bautista showed a supposed draft of an impeachment complaint that was sent to his sister, cousin, and mother-in-law.

"I want to show you another document. This is a copy of an impeachment complaint that was sent surreptitiously by a person supposedly [named]...Ivan Lu to my sister," Bautista said.

"It's a copy of  an impeachment complaint [dated] June 28, 2017," he said. "Sent to my sister, sent to my mother-in-law, sent to my cousin, and again talagang to pressure me," he added, noting that it was sent to his family before his estranged wife Patricia Paz Bautista told media about his alleged ill-gotten wealth.

Mrs. Bautista submitted an affidavit to the NBI on August 1, claiming that her husband has undeclared wealth amounting to nearly P1 billion.

The said allegations were firmly denied by Bautista who maintained that his wife is motivated by greed.

Bautista said that the impeachment complaint was an attempt to extort money from him.

"They stole the documents November 2016. Bakit ngayon lang nilalabas kung sinasabi nilang may pagkakamali? At ang sagot, simple lang: Pera-pera lang ito. Humingi sila ng bayad. 'Mai-impeach ka na.' Tama ba 'yan?" Bautista said.

"Ano ba talaga sila? Ano ba—are they crusaders for what is good or right? Is it just a money play? At sinasabi ko naman, ako naman sabi ko nga handang ibigay kung ano dapat 'yung kanyang makuha," he added.

"That's why people asked, 'Bakit 'yung mother-in-law niya, 'yung kanyang sariling ina sa akin kumakampi?'" Bautista continued.

Mrs. Bautista in an interview with ANC on Tuesday said that her own mother is siding with her husband in the ongoing rift between them.

"Andy [Andres Bautista] came out in another interview and he was basically saying how his family was behind him. In fact my mother is behind him," she said.

"Well, there's a lot of history there but I mean I'm sure there's a lot of parental fondness for Andy," she added.

The Comelec chief, meanwhile, said that he "cannot categorically" say whether he is willing to participate in an impeachment process, noting that there would be other people who will be involved in the matter.

"You know if it was just me, for sure I would in order to vindicate myself. But at the same time, I recognize that there will be other people who will be brought in and it's going to be messy. So I have to weigh these things," Bautista said. "Now I'd... just pray to the good Lord that he will take care of my family and that in the end, as I have said, truth and justice will prevail."

Bautista also slammed Inquirer saying that he was not given the chance to air his side.

"Let me just go to the Inquirer though...I don't know again who arranged that meeting two days [ago] to present her side...Last Sunday afternoon, I got a call and [was told] we're running a story about you and well we need to hear your side," Bautista said.

"Sabi ko, 'Can we just do it tomorrow because it's Sunday afternoon?' 'Well sir, we would just run the story and we will just hear your side,'" he added.

Asked whether he knew the story, Bautista said: "No. Sinabi lang sa akin at that point in time. And then sinabi ko obviously it's gonna be unfair but I had no choice."

"So they gave me one and a half hours to present my side but as you know may video. Ibang-iba 'yung pagka-slant eh na kumbaga para talagang pabor... It was biased in her favor. Hindi ako binibigyan ng pagkakataon na ma-air ko 'yung aking panig," he added.

"And as I have said, there is a demolition job against me. Now as to why, I think that's for people to judge. But I just hope people are going to be fair," Bautista said. —Marlly Rome Bondoc/KG/KVD, GMA News