Poll chief Bautista files criminal raps against wife
Comelec chair Andres Bautista shows the first ballot printed for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls at the National Printing Office on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. The STAR / Shiela Crisostomo
MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections Chairperson Andres Bautista filed criminal complaints against estranged wife Patricia “Tisha” Cruz-Bautista following the latter’s corruption-related allegationd against him.
“We already filed a case, we did file a case,” Andres said, confirming initial reports in an interview with ANC’s "Headstart" on Wednesday.
Andres said the case was filed with his family on Tuesday. He failed to disclose where he filed the case but he cited the fresh charges against his wife.
"We filed a case for grave coercion, for qualified theft and robbery, and also for extortion which is in the form of grave threats and life threats," he said.
She will also soon face a libel case to be filed by lawyer Nilo Divina who decried her "false stories" against his law firm, DivinaLaw.
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On Monday, Andres said he was considering to lodge charges against Patricia, who appeared before the press late last week to accuse him of possessing transaction records and documents that suggest a personal wealth larger than what he declared in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.
Issuing a blanket denial of the accusations, the Comelec chief said he is the victim as he cried out for extortion. He also said his family and Patricia’s family are with him in his battle.
The justice department already called for a probe on the poll chief’s alleged unexplained wealth.
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