Alvarez: Wife may file impeachment rap against Bautista

Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista and wife Patricia. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS/Grig C. Montegrande/L. RILLON

Even Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres Bautista’s own wife may file an impeachment bid against him if she has personal knowledge of his alleged unexplained wealth, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said on Wednesday.

“Ayaw kong pangunahan ‘yung committee on justice pero kung gusto nung wife niya na mag-file ng impeachment complaint, pwede niyang i-file ‘yun sa House of Representatives and we have to process,” Alvarez said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel.

(I don’t want to preempt the committee on justice but if the wife wants to file an impeachment complaint, she may file it at the House of Representatives and we have to process it.)

“Personal knowledge ‘yan e (That’s personal knowledge),” he added.

Bautista’s wife, Patricia, earlier accused him of allegedly amassing nearly P1 billion unexplained wealth. But the poll chief had repeatedly denied the allegation.

READ: Wife says Comelec chief has unexplained wealth

Asked if the beleaguered Comelec chief should step down from his post, Alvarez said: “It’s an option for him…but it doesn’t mean na off the hook na siya kasi po maraming issues e (doesn’t mean he’s off the hook because there’s a lot of issues).”

“Merong marital issues; hindi po natin pakikialaman ‘yun, pero merong issues ng corruption, may issues sa Smartmatic, mayroong issues ng money laundering. E kelangan pong alamin ‘yan e ng gobyerno.”

(There are marital issues; we will not touch on that, but there are corruption issues, issues on Smartmatic, and issues of money laundering)

The Speaker hinted that possible violations of the Anti-Money Laundering Act might have been committed, noting how money was reportedly channeled to a small bank, referring to the Luzon Development Bank.

“Sino ba naman nagde-deposito roon (Who would be depositing there)?” Alvarez asked, though he added that all these allegations have yet to be investigated.

Alvarez said Bautista should “seriously” consider calls for him resign, citing the importance of keeping the Comelec’s credibility intact. JE