Duterte takes ‘hands-off’ stance in ill-gotten wealth issue vs Comelec chief

President Rodrigo Duterte answers questions at a press conference in Malacañang on Monday, Aug. 7, 2017. (Photo from an RTVM video)

President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday evening that he was taking a “hands-off” approach to the allegations that Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres Bautista amassed P1 billion worth of ill-gotten wealth.

The President said he would not want to preempt any criminal case or impeachment complaint against Bautista that might arise form the allegations of his estranged wife, Patricia Paz “Tish” Bautista.

“I’m hands-off on that,” he said. “That’s the reason I refused to discuss [it],” Duterte said in a press briefing in Malacanang.

“There will always be a case filed. So I do not want to preempt what will happen either by the Ombudsman or by Congress because I do not have jurisdiction over the case. Might as well just shut up,” he added.

He said the Office of the Ombudsman might investigate the graft allegations against the Comelec chief.

“I’m not the one who will investigate,” he said. “I’m not a congressman or a senator when a case of impeachment… So why should I bother?”

He added that he might be accused of unduly interfering in the case.

However, Duterte said he did offer to help Patricia find lawyers if she would proceed with filing charges against her husband. /atm