Senate summons ex-Comelec chief on money launder raps

Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Andres Bautista was issued yesterday a subpoena to appear before the Senate concerning his alleged money laundering activities.

The Senate committee on banks and financial institu- tions chaired by Sen. Francis Escudero issued the subpoena after the former Comelec chief failed to attend the panel’s hearing yesterday.

The committee is looking into the allegations of ill-gotten wealth stashed in a rural bank and possible violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA).

Under the subpoena, Bautista is directed to appear on Feb. 12 before the committee and failure to do so would compel the Senate to hold him in contempt and move for his arrest.

“The committee has consistently sent him invitations to all of the hearings we conducted but until today, he has not given any reasons for his absence. Not even a representative to act on his behalf,” Escudero said.

“We held him in his own words on the media in the past that he will appear and defend himself once invited but apparently he has been a consistent no-show,” he said.

At the same time, Escudero has asked the Bureau of Immigration to provide the committee with all the travel information of the former poll chief from Aug. 1, 2017.

Bautista is reportedly in the US on vacation.

The committee has sent invitations to all of Bautista’s three known addresses since the inquiry began in August. Today’s hearing would have been the third and is also the third time that Bautista has failed to appear.

The panel has been holding hearings since August last year in connection with Senate Resolution 468 or the possible violation of the AMLA by some covered institutions.