Bautista: Duterte will decide my fate

Comelec Chair Andres Bautista (left) said he was leaving his fate to President Rodrigo Duterte (right) amid his impeachment by the House of Representatives despite him already tendering his resignation. INQUIRER FILE / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Elections chair Andres Bautista is leaving his fate to President Rodrigo Duterte after the House of Representatives impeached him Wednesday over allegations of unexplained wealth.

“Hayaan na lang natin ang ating pangulo ang umaksyon dun sa aking liham sa kanya. Kaya nga bigyan natin siya ng panahon para mag-desisyon dito,” Bautista said over dzMM on Thursday.

Voting 137-75-2, the House impeached Bautista even after he announced his resignation effective December 31, 2017.

“Kung ano man ang kanyang desisyon ay aking tatanggapin. ‘Yun naman talaga ang aking pakay,” he added.

Bautista said he met with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Tuesday to express his intention to resign.

He said it was the “perfect time” to leave his post because he already finished all his pending work at the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

“Sabi ko sa kanya (Medialdea), for personal reasons, panahon na para magbitiw. Hindi ako agad nagbitiw dahil sa barangay and SK elections. Pero naipagpaliban na yun. At yung aming budget sa Kamara at Senado naipagtanggol na,” he said.

Bautista first announced his resignation in an open letter to Commission on Elections (Comelec) employees which he posted on his social media accounts. At a forum in Manila, he said he had also handed his resignation to the President and explained his “personal reasons.”

READ: BREAKING: Comelec chair Andres Bautista resigns

“After much prayer and discernment, I believe that this is the right time to step down given the postponement of the Barangay and SK elections,” Bautista said in the open letter.

“This was not an easy decision, but my family, especially my children, need me now more than ever,” he added.

READ: House impeaches Comelec chief after he said he was resigning

Bautista’s estranged wife, Patricia, earlier accused him of amassing P1 billion in unexplained wealth. /cbb