Sandiganbayan denies Abalos plea to visit Taiwan

MANILA, Philippines - Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. won’t be “going fishing” in Taiwan, at least for the time being.

The Sandiganbayan Fourth Division yesterday denied his motion to travel abroad after Abalos failed to provide details on his planned trip.

His legal counsel, however, plans to file another motion to travel next week to satisfy the anti-graft court’s requirements.

“The court wants definite dates and hotels where he would be staying,” lawyer Gabriel Villareal told The STAR in an interview.

He said Abalos, who is facing trial for alleged involvement in the national broadband network deal anomaly, wants to go to China to find some bangus (milkfish) fry for his business.

The former elections chief’s request was junked for being vague and for lacking important and specific details like an itinerary.

Padaca wants to leave, too

Comelec Commissioner Grace Padaca, who is also facing a graft charge before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly misusing public funds when she was governor of Isabela, is also asking for authority to travel abroad.

However, she failed to appear before the anti-graft court yesterday morning, prompting magistrates of the Fifth Division to reset the hearing date for her urgent motion.