And the simple misunderstanding between the
couple that is Andres and Patricia Bautista makes another major turn.
No more than a week when Department of Justice
Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II floated the idea that the estranged wife of
Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Chairman Andres Bautista can apply for the
Witness Protection Program, is now a reality.
The DOJ has placed Patricia Cruz-Bautista,
wife of Commission on Elections chair Andy Bautista, under provisional coverage
of its witness protection program (WPP).
Aguirre II, clarified that the Bautista
children will also be placed under the provisional coverage of the WPP.
 |
| Patricia "Tisha" Cruz-Bautista the estranged wife of COMELEC chair Andres Bautista has come forward last week alleging his husband has unexplained wealth. Now, she has been enrolled to the Witness Protection Program of the Department of Justice. (photo credit to owner) |
The safety and security as a potential witness
were the two considerations that led to patricia being placed under the
provisional admission into the WPP.
"We wish to stress that before being
provided with actual protection, security and/or benefit under the WPP, Ms.
Cruz-Bautista must execute a Memorandum of Agreement. Ms. Cruz-Bautista came to
the DOJ freely and voluntarily, with her lawyers, to seek her admission to the
WPP," Aguirre said in a statement.
Marcos loyalist lawyer Oliver Lozano already
filed an Impeachment complaint against the COMELEC chair. Grounds used by
Lozano for the filing of the impeachment case are culpable violation of the
Constitution and betrayal of public trust with regard to Bautista’s post while
he was Presidential Commission on Good Government and as COMELEC chief.
Lozano filed the complaint after hearing
Patricia’s statement that her husband was involved in alleged irregularities
when Andy Bautista was chair for both government body.
Chairman Bautista denies the allegations of
his wife, and maintains his innocence on the alleged irregularities, and claims
all of these are politically and financially motivated.
"Hindi po totoo iyang mga paratang na
iyan. Matagal na po kaming may problemang mag-asawa na ngayon ay
nababahiran na ng pulitika. Kasama ko po ang aking pamilya ng Bautista at pati
na po ang kanyang pamilya, ang Cruz family, sa labang ito," Bautista said
in a radio interview with dzMM last week
On Impeachment or resigning
In an election congress in Malolos, Bulacan
when Bautista was about the truth regarding the gossips of him stepping down,
he told reporters "Pinag-iisipan at pinagdadasal,".
"We’re considering various options, pero
pinag-iisipan, pinag-aaralan, at pinagdadasal natin. I think this is part of
the process," Bautista was the reply to the reporters.
Asked to comment about him being removed from
office by way of Impeachment. "Ganiyan talaga ang proseso," he said.
0 comments