The wealth of Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Andres Bautista – whether earned 20 years ago or close to the 2016 elections – is not a “convincing proof” to discredit the results of the polls, Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said Monday.

“Ang alam lang natin, ang allegation [is] may malaking halaga sa bangko pero kailan pa ba yan, say 20 or 15 years ago na yan, walang koneksyon. Pero kung bagong pasok yan mga yan, posible nga tayong magkaron ng ganoong duda,” Pimentel said in a News To Go interview.

“Pero hindi pa rin yun proof, hindi pa rin yung convincing proof na may konesyon sa eleksyon yun,” Pimentel, also a lawyer, said.

Pimentel is the president of ruling PDP-Laban, the political party of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III and Senator Grace Poe earlier called for an investigation on the allegations of Bautista’s estranged wife, Patricia Paz Bautista.

The senators said Mrs. Bautista’s accusations of ill-gotten wealth against the Comelec chair may put the results of the 2016 national elections in doubt.

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Mrs. Bautista earlier claimed to have discovered nearly P1 billion in ill-gotten wealth. The Comelec chair supposedly had 32 bank accounts with the Luzon Development Bank (LDB) containing a total balance of P329,220,962.

Based on his 2016 statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN), Bautista declared a total net worth of P176.3 million.

The National Bureau of Investigation, with the Anti-Money Laundering Council, is already examining Bautista's alleged bank accounts.

The Comelec official has denied the allegations of his estranged wife, claiming that there is an “orchestrated campaign” against him. — Kathrina Charmaine Alvarez/RSJ, GMA News