Election chief Andres Bautista announced Wednesday that he will resign by the end of 2017 amid allegations he amassed around PHP1 billion (US$19 million) in unexplained wealth made public by his estranged wife.
“It is with deep sadness that I am informing you about my decision to resign as Chair of the Commission [on Elections] by the end of the year,” Bautista wrote in a letter he posted on Twitter.
READ: Wife of PH elections chief accuses husband of having PHP1 billion in ‘unexplained wealth’
“After much thought and prayer, I believe that this is the right time for me to step down given the postponement of the Barangay and SK elections. It was not an easy decision. But my family, especially children, need me now more than ever.”
Bautista’s estranged wife, Patricia, had claimed her husband omitted PHP1 billion from his statement of assets liabilities and net worth.
An impeachment case based on her allegation was dismissed by the House justice committee due to a defect in the verification of the document.
The Commission on Elections chief has denied wrongdoing and accused his wife of stealing passbooks and other bank documents from their home.
Bautista was appointed Comelec chairman by former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III in 2015.
He oversaw the 2016 elections, which was won by President Rodrigo Duterte.
