Andres Bautista answers Marcos spox on Picasso question, Eleksyon 2016

Former Presidential Commission on Good Government chairman Andres Bautista has answered presumptive president Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s spokesman dare for him to return to the Philippines and make his allegations against the Marcoses here.

Attorney Vic Rodriguez last week also challenged Bautista, who was the chairman of the Commission on Elections in 2016, to answer the allegations against him as regards the conduct of the said polls.

“Akala ko ang nawawalang Picasso ang pinaguusapan. Mahalaga ang painting na ‘yan!” Bautista said on Twitter.

“Pero kung change topic na sa halalan pwede rin..  Ipaghambing kaya ng mga dalubhasa ang pamamalakad sa 2022 at 2016? Sama na rin ang 2019,” he added.

To recall, a painting which looked like Reclining Woman VI was supposedly seen in photos posted by the Marcos camp of the former senator's visit to his mother Imelda's residence. 

Bautista had responded to a tweet asking him if the painting shown in the photo was the missing Picasso. He responded with an "thumbs up" emoji and said the painting was also seen in the documentary, "The Kingmaker."

In response to this, Rodriguez challenged Bautista to go home and make his allegations here in the Philippines.

Rodriguez further called on Bautista to address his “misdeeds” in the 2016 elections, the year when Marcos lost the vice presidential race.

In a One PH interview, Rodriguez reiterated his dare and asked Bautista to be responsible for the things he post online.

“Let’s be responsible doon sa ating mga nagiging pahayag at kung wala namang patunay o pruweba then wag tayong maging reckless o irresponsible doon sa ating mga alegasyon o accusations,” Rodriguez said.

“Kung komportable ka sa alegasyon mo, bukas naman ang ating mga korte, bukas naman ang PCGG at ikaw rin ay naglingkod bilang dating pinuno ng PCGG, ikaw dapat ang magpunta rito at harapin nang personal yung mga alegasyong binibigay mo,” he added.

The PCGG was created by then-President Corazon Aquino in 1986 to recover the ill-gotten wealth accumulated by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., his family, relatives, subordinates, and close associates.

In 2014, government agents seized at least 15 paintings believed to be part of the Marcoses' ill-gotten wealth from their ancestral home in San Juan City.

A Reuters report said among the artworks seized from an office and residences included a painting by Pablo Picasso. -Mel Matthew Doctor/NB/RSJ, GMA News