MANILA, Philippines — The Senate on Monday ordered the arrest of former Commission on Elections chairperson Andres Bautista for repeatedly failing to attend its probe into his alleged ill-gotten wealth.
The arrest order was signed by Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on February 21.
Bautista snubbed the inquiry for the third time last February 12, which led Sen. Francis Escudero, chair of the Senate Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies chair, to issue a subpoena.
The panel has sent the invitations to all of Bautista's three known addresses since the proceedings began in August.
In a letter sent to Escudero and Pimentel, Bautista said that he has been abroad since November 21. But Escudero questioned Bautista's alibi, citing records from the Bureau of Immigration.
Bautista's estranged wife accused the former poll chief of having money and property worth between P250 million and P300 million in value, more than the P158.5 million he declared in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.
The poll chief denied the allegations and stressed that his estranged wife's claims may have political and financial motivations.
Bautista, who was a former chairman of the Presidential Commission on Good Government, resigned last year.