Ex-congressman to file impeachment complaint vs. Bautista next week

A former congressman on Saturday said he will file an impeachment complaint against Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres Bautista based on his wife's allegation of ill-gotten wealth.

A 24 Oras report said former Negros Oriental representative Jacinto Paras is planning to file the impeachment complaint next week.

Paras said that he had already talked to a member of the House of Representative who will endorse the complaint.

The former congressman said that the complaint is based on the allegations of the Comelec chief's wife, Patricia Bautista.

Mrs. Bautista had claimed that her husband has undeclared assets of nearly P1 billion.

She also accused the Comelec chairman of receiving kickbacks from automated polls service provider Smartmatic and keeping ghost employees during his stint as chairman of the Presidential Commission on Good Government.

Meanwhile, the report said that the camp of the Comelec chairman is prepared to face any complaints that may be filed based on his wife's allegations.

In a television interview earlier this week, Bautista said that his family had received a draft of an impeachment complaint that would be filed against him.

He alleged the draft was sent to his family in an attempt to pressure him on signing a settlement agreement with his wife.

The Comelec chief, who has filed criminal complaints against his wife, is immune from lawsuits.

He can only be removed by impeachment.

The National Bureau of Investigation is already investigating the alleged ill-gotten wealth of the Comelec chairman based on an affidavit submitted by Mrs. Bautista.

She submitted the affidavit after meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacañang to personally report her husband's alleged ill-gotten wealth.

In a news conference a day after news broke out about his wife's allegation, Bautista said he had told Duterte that he is willing to resign from his post. —ALG, GMA News