Abalos to judge: Reverse Taiwan trip ruling

MANILA, Philippines - Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chair Benjamin Abalos Sr. asked yesterday Pasay City Judge Jesus Mupas to reconsider his earlier decision denying his motion to travel to Taiwan to import bangus (milkfish) fingerlings.

Felda Domingo, spokesperson of Pasay Regional Trial Court Branch 112, said the prosecution was given until tomorrow to comment on the motion for reconsideration filed by Abalos, who is facing electoral sabotage charges in connection with the alleged fraud in the 2007 elections in North and South Cotabato.

Abalos said his four-day travel to Taiwan is an urgent business trip because of the declining price of shrimp and he wants to shift to raising bangus, which is increasingly in demand.

Abalos had attached to his motion the decision of the Sandiganbayan allowing him to travel provided he put up a P90,000 travel bond.

He is facing a separate graft case before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the cancelled $329-million national broadband network deal with China’s ZTE Corp. and the government.

Abalos said he wants to see for himself the possible sources of fingerlings and fish feed and make the decision himself.