Comelec chief denies owning Hong Kong bank account

Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairperson Andres Bautista on Monday refuted allegations that he maintains an overseas bank account amounting to nearly HK$1 million.

Valued at $948,358.97, the money allegedly deposited with the Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation in Hong Kong was part of roughly P1 billion in assets supposedly not indicated in Bautista's 2016 Statement of Assets of Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

"Meron diyang Hong Kong Shanghai bank account HK$948,000, pawang kasinungalingan 'yan. Kung 'yan meron man, kanya na," Bautista said in a press conference, referring to the accusation hurled against him by his wife Patricia.

Patricia also claimed Bautista has two other accounts under the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. worth P257,931.60 and US$12,778.30.

To this Bautista said: "Merong RCBC account $12,000. That's possible dahil magkano lang naman 'yung $12,000."

Bautista, who declared he had a net worth of P176.3 million last year, slammed allegations of ill-gotten wealth, describing these as "all lies."

He said his estranged wife was "motivated by greed" and that she allowed herself to be used by "certain people and groups to promote a political agenda designed to cast aspersions on me and the Comelec's work in the 2016 elections."

"It is apparent that she and her long-time lover concocted this extortion plan with guidance from ill-intentioned lawyers who thought they could threaten me into simply turning over hard-earned and legitimately acquired assets belonging to me and my family. They were wrong," Bautista said in a statement.

"It is unfortunate that my ex-wife's greed has resulted in irreparable damage to me, my family, her own family and most importantly to our children. I shall address all of these issues at the proper forum. But I will not give in to blackmail."

The National Bureau of Investigation has already been ordered by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to look into the allegations of ill-gotten wealth against Bautista, a development welcomed by the Comelec chief himself. —KBK/KVD, GMA News