For failing to attend Tuesday’s Senate inquiry into his alleged violation of the anti-money laundering law, former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres Bautista is being served a subpoena to compel his presence at the next hearing or risk arrest, as provided in Senate rules.
Sen. Francis G. Escudero, chairman of the Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies, ordered the issuance of the formal summons commanding the ex-Comelec chief to show up at the February 2 hearing to avoid a contempt citation that could lead to Bautista’s indefinite detention.
Escudero warned Bautista that failure to do so would compel the Senate to hold him in contempt and move for his arrest under Section 18 of the Senate Rules Governing Inquiries in Aid of Legislation.
“The committee has consistently sent him [Bautista] 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,” the senator complained.
He added: “We held him to his own words on the media that he will appear and defend himself once invited but, apparently, he has been a consistent no-show.”
At the same time, the Escudero confirmed he had requested the Bureau of Immigration to provide the Senate committee with “all the travel information on Bautista from August 1, 2017, to date.”
“The Senate committee has sent invitations to all of Bautista’s three known addresses since the inquiry began last August, [and] today’s hearing would have been the third and is also the third time that Bautista has failed to appear,” the senator lamented.
According to Escudero, the Committee on Banks has been holding hearings since August last year as mandated by Senate Resolution 468 to look into possible violations of the Anti-Money Laundering Act by some covered institutions.