VACC member asks NBI for documents needed for Bautista impeachment

Former Negros Oriental Rep. Jacinto Paras on Monday asked the National Bureau of the Investigation (NBI) for certified copies of documents in preparation for the filing of an impeachment complaint against Commission on Elections Commissioner Juan Andres B. Bautista.

In a letter dated Aug. 14, addressed to NBI Director Dante Gierran, Paras and the Volunteers against Crime and Corruption (VACC), through counsel Manuelito R. Luna, asked for certified true copies of the 35 Luzon Development Bank passbooks mentioned by Bautista’s wife Patricia Paz in her affidavit to the NBI.

“In behalf of our client, former Negros Oriental congressman and Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption member Jacinto V. Paras, and in connection with the filing of an impeachment complaint against Comelec Chairman J. Andres D. Bautista, may we respectfully request for certified copies of the Affidavit of (Mrs.) Patricia Bautista and the 35 Luzon Development Bank (LDB) passbooks, RCBC peso account document and other documents submitted to your good office,” the letter said.

“Our said client is resorting to this request owing to the fact that the Committee on Justice of the House of Representatives will not accept any documents other than certified or original, appended to impeachment complaints,” it added.

In her affidavit, Mrs. Bautista claimed that her husband amassed about “P1 billion” in unexplained wealth, while Mr. Bautista only declared a total of P176.3 million in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) for 2016.

She added that the Comelec chair has accounts with LDB, RCBC, Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corp. (HSBC) account, several real properties, foreign investments and properties, and several checks and commission sheets from Divina Law, where Mr. Bautista practiced law before engaging in public service.

For a copy of the Mr. Bautista’s SALN, Luna noted that he would course through his request through the Office of Ombudsman, headed by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. /atm