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MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – The Sandiganbayan has issued hold departure orders (HDOs) against former Chief Justice Renato Corona and former Ilocos Sur governor Chavit Singson.
The orders were dated April 15, 2014 but were released to the media only on Friday, April 25.
The anti-graft court has barred Corona from leaving the country based on pending perjury charges for discrepancies in his Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) and violation of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
Watch this report below.
Singson is facing graft charges for alleged misuse of public funds when he was still governor.
“This Court, in the Exercise of its inherent power to use all means necessary to carry its orders into effect, more specifically, to preserve and maintain the effectiveness of its jurisdiction over the case/s and the person/s of the accused so as to render accused at all times amenable to its writs and processes…HEREBY ORDER/S the Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration to hold the departure from the Philippines of the above-named accused and to include the name’s of said accused in the Hold Departure List of said bureau,” both orders read.
Immigration Commission Siegfred Mison, who has been furnished copies of the HDOs, has directed immigration officers nationwide to implement the court order.
Mison assured those on the government’s HDO list that their legal rights will be respected, even as they are barred from leaving the country.
In early April, the Office of the Ombudsman filed before the Sandiganbayan 8 counts of perjury and 8 counts of violation of Republic Act 6713, against the former Chief Justice.
In March, the Ombudsman ordered the filing of criminal and civil charges before the anti-graft court against Corona and his wife Cristina for allegedly amassing over P130 million in ill-gotten wealth.
Singson, Ilocos Sur governor from 1998 to 2001, is facing graft charges for entering into memorandums of agreement with Multi-Line Food Processing International Incorporated during his term.
The MOAs authorized the release of a total of P24.18 million – taken from the province’s share in the tobacco excise tax revenues – to MLFPII’s unspecified livelihood projects.
(READ: Chavit, Savellano misused P26M tobacco funds – Ombudsman)
His successor, incumbent Vice Governor Deogracias Victor “DV” Savellano, is also facing graft charges for forging similar agreements with the company totaling P1,880,500, also drawn from the tobacco levy share of the province. – Rappler.com
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