Sandiganbayan: Dennis Cunanan a flight risk

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan on Friday denied the plea of one the accused in the graft case against Senator Jinggoy Estrada to travel abroad, saying he is a flight risk.

The 5th Division of the anti-graft court junked the motion to travel abroad of Dennis Cunanan, former director general of the Technology Resource Center, giving credence to the grounds cited by government prosecutors.

Cunanan was supposed to attend the event of the Junior Chamber International from July 3 to Aug. 4 in the United States.

Cunanan, whom his legal counsel said will be acting as the overall moderator during the event, was also scheduled to attend another event in Japan from July 7 to July 15.

Cunanan has two pending similar motions to travel abroad before the 1st and 3rd divisions of the Sandiganbayan where he also faces graft cases in connection with the pork barrel scam.

The former TRC had applied to become a state witness in the government's case against those involved in the pork barrel fund scam. His application was turned down by the Office of the Ombudsman last June. 

Read: Cunanan enters 'not guilty' plea in pork scam cases