Brgy. captain admits leaving RP incognito

After leaving the country without permission from the government in order to visit his ailing mother in the United States, Lorega-San Miguel barangay captain Fortunato Parawan is already back in Cebu.

Parawan, who arrived only yesterday, admitted he did not inform the Bureau of Immigration that he is a barangay captain but instead pretended to be a businessman for fear that his trip would be delayed.

Lawyer Alfonso dela Cerna earlier asked the officials of the Bureau of Immigration to explain why Parawan, who has a hold departure order against him issued by the Sandiganbayan, managed to fly out of the country last December 30.

Dela Cerna is the legal counsel of his daughter, Leah Rondez, who sued Parawan and the other incumbent officials of the Association of Barangay Councils in Cebu City for refusing to reimburse her fuel expenses when she was still connected with the ABC.

"I am willing to accept sanctions if found out that I committed an offense for traveling abroad without asking for authority from the Sandiganbayan that handles our case," Parawan said.

Parawan said he received a call from his sister in the US last December 28 informing him that their mother was sick.

"Dili na kuno mokaon ang akong inahan ug dili na mo-take sa mga tambal maoy rason nga milarga dayon ko nga gibilin ra gani nako ang tulo nako ka gagmay'ng anak dinhi sa Cebu," Parawan said.

His sister also sent him a plane ticket for a December 30 flight to the United States so he dropped everything and packed for the trip.

Immigration officials said the Sandiganbayan never sent them a copy of the hold departure order on Parawan and other ABC officials in Cebu.

Parawan clarified that his urgent trip to the United States was not to evade the case filed against him.

"I will not be afraid to face that case and prove to the public that we are not liable to the charges," he said. - Rene U. Borromeo