QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) – The House Appropriations Committee postponed the Commission on Elections budget hearing on Wednesday, August 23, after COMELEC Chairman Andres Bautista did not attend the hearing.
According to COMELEC Executive Director Jose Tolentino Jr., Bautista attended an important meeting with his children’s guidance counselor.
“The chairman will be meeting with the guidance counselor of his children… That’s why he couldn’t attend this meeting right now,” Tolentino told lawmakers.
Tolentino also said that Bautista issued an internal memorandum requesting COMELEC senior commissioner Christian Robert Lim or Commissioner Al Parreño to lead the team that will be presenting the agency’s budget.
However, Bautista failed to communicate and present a formal letter to the House of Representatives about his absence, according to panel’s Vice Chairman Oriental Mindoro Rep. Doy Leachon.
“You must understand also that this is one of the most important concerns of the House for the whole year… So at the very least there must be a letter of authority coming from the head of the agency to represent the agency,” Leachon said.
On the other hand, House appropriations committee chair Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles warned the Comelec chair he should attend the next hearing or the agency may “suffer the consequences.”
“If the chairman will not show himself then you may suffer the consequences. This is a budget briefing where you are supposed to defend the budget and if the head is not here to defend your budget then there will be consequences,” Nograles said.
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