Abalos fails to leave for Taiwan due to invalid passport

MANILA, Philippines - Former Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos said yesterday that despite the approval of the Sandiganbayan and Quezon City courts to allow him to travel for a four-day business trip to Taiwan, his travel was cancelled because his passport was not validated.

Abalos said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) must be furnished with copies of the court order but it will take at least 10 days before the process is completed.

He said that since the date of the travel was specific (Nov. 27 to 30), he needs to file a new motion before the Sandiganbayan and the court for a new schedule, probably in January next year.

“I am very happy that the courts granted my motion. I have already called up my contacts in Taiwan and informed them of the postponement of my travel,” he said.

The Sandiganbayan had earlier granted the motion of Abalos to travel provided he will pay a P90,000 travel bond.

Abalos is facing graft charges before the graft court in the relation to the NBN-ZTE deal. He is also facing two counts of electoral sabotage cases before the Pasay RTC 112 and 11 counts at Pasay RTC branch 117.

The Pasay courts, however, granted the bail petition after the prosecution failed to present their case with clarity during the bail hearings.

Abalos explained that he wanted to see for himself the possible sources of fingerling and fish feeds in Taiwan, which is among the best quality in Asia.

“My trip is an urgent matter because it involves food production and the livelihood of the people,” he said.