MANILA, Philippines – Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres Bautista sued his wife, Patricia, for robbery and extortion, after Patricia accused him of amassing ill-gotten wealth.

“We already filed a case,” Bautista said in an interview on Wednesday, August 9, on the ANC television show Headstart.

“We filed a case for grave coercion, for qualified theft and robbery, and also for extortion which is in the form of grave threats and life threats,” he added.

Bautista said he filed this case on Tuesday, August 8, a day after news broke that his wife was accusing him of keeping unexplained wealth. He was accompanied by his family when he filed the case.

His wife, Patricia Paz “Tish” Bautista, ran to the media to accuse the Comelec chairman of having nearly P1 billion in unexplained wealth. 

Bautista denied his wife’s accusations, saying it was part of an “extortion attempt.” (READ: Comelec chief: Wife ‘motivated by greed’) – Rappler.com