Poe: Wealth issue vs Comelec chief will cast doubt on 2016 poll results

The ill-gotten wealth allegations against Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres Bautista might put the 2016 election results in doubt, Sen. Grace Poe said on Monday.

However, the senator, who ran for the presidential race last year, clarified that she was not questioning President Rodrigo Duterte’s win.

“Para sa akin, walang kwestiyon: Panalo ang ating Pangulo dahil napakalayo ng agwat namin. Mabuti na lang at ganoon,” Poe said. “Kaya para sa akin wala akong personal ditong makukuha sapagkat ako’y nag-concede, maaga pa lang. Ang ating Pangulo ay di hamak na nanalo. Pero maraming mga ibang pwesto ang maaaring ma-kwestiyon dahil mas dikit ang laban.”

(For me, there’s no question about it: The President won, because our vote counts were too far apart. Fortunately, that’s how it turned out. I have nothing to gain personally in this issue because I conceded early on. The President clearly won. But there are other positions whose results might be questioned because the results were so close.”)

Asked if she was referring to the vice-presidential race, Poe said: “Hindi lamang doon, kundi sa mga iba’t ibang mga posisyon. Alalahanin natin na hindi lamang national ang position dito. Pati sa mga iba’t ibang probinsya. Yun ang maaaring magkaroon ng pagdududa.”

(“Not on that position but also other positions. Remember that it was not only national positions at stake. There were local positions in the provinces. The results of those might be put in doubt.”)

Prior to these statements, Poe, who chairs the the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, said a lifestyle check among Comelec officials must be conducted amid corruption allegations against the poll chief.

READ: Poe wants lifestyle check after ‘shocking revelations’ at Comelec

Last Aug.1, Bautista’s wife, Patricia Paz, sent an affidavit sent to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) saying that the Comelec chief amassed nearly P1 billion worth of unexplained and ill-gotten wealth.

In response, Bautista denied his wife’s allegations, saying he was just a victim of “extortion attacks and infidelity.”

Meanwhile, Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III filed a Senate resolution to investigate allegations against Bautista. /atm