House of Representatives impeaches Comelec chief

October 11, 2017

Hours after Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Andres Bautista said he will step down from office at yearend, the House of Representatives on Wednesday overturned a resolution by its justice committee dismissing an impeachment complaint against the pill chief.

Voting 137-75, with two abstentions, the House plenary reversed the decision by the justice committee.

Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu ordered the House committee on justice chaired by Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali to prepare the Articles of Impeachment for transmittal to the Senate which will act as the impeachment court to try Bautista.

“The vote shows that the resolution is overridden,” Abu told lawmakers after the plenary voting.

“I am directing the [House] committee on justice to prepare the Articles of Impeachment immediately, so ordered,” said Abu. A vote of at least 1/3 or 98 lawmakers can override the decision of the House committee on justice, its rules state.

Both Houses of Congress go on a break starting Thursday and resumes on November 13. Bautista could not be reached for comment.

Bautista was accused of betrayal of public trust and culpable violations of the Constitution for allegedly not declaring his true wealth in his Statement of Assets and Liabilities Networth (SALN) – allegedly amounting to at least ₱1 billion, as against his declared assets of ₱241. 8 million.

Bautista, speaking before Comelec employees, said he will remain in office until the end of the year.

He denied allegations that his resignation is part of a "deal"  when his impeachment case was junked by the House justice committee.

"There is no ex-deal. I think if you saw the decision of the House committee on justice, the parameters they used in my case and of other officials are the same. That is already obvious," explained Bautista.DMS