Sandiganbayan issues HDO vs Bong, others in 'pork' case

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – The Sandiganbayan on Tuesday ordered the Bureau off Immigration to prevent Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. and several others from leaving the country.

The anti-graft court's First Division issued the hold departure order (HDO), signed by chairperson Efren dela Cruz, against the senator charged with plunder and graft along with other personalities tagged in the pork barrel fund scam.

Also covered by the HDO are Revilla's former chief of staff Richard Cambe, Mario Relampagos of the Department of Budget and Management, Rosario Nunez, Lalaine Paule, Dennis Cunanan of the Technology Resource Center, Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana and Marivic Jover.

Businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles and her brother Raymond Lim are also on the HDO list.

Napoles, the alleged brains behind the P10-billion pork barrel scam, is now detained at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna for the illegal detention case filed by whistleblower Benhur Luy.

The HDO directs the Bureau of Immigration to prevent the personalities on the list from leaving the country without the permission of the Sandiganbayan.

The Sandiganbayan's Fifth Division had also issued an HDO against Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, who is also charged with plunder along with Revilla and Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile.

Enrile and Napoles have asked the anti-graft court not to issue warrants for their arrest. The senator had also questioned the Office of the Ombudsman's decision, finding probable cause to pursue the plunder complaint filed by the Department of Justice against him. - with Camille Diola