Abalos goes to court anew

MANILA, Philippines - Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos has filed a new petition before a Pasay City court to allow him to visit Taiwan after he failed to leave the country on Nov. 27.

Felda Domingo, spokesperson for the Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 112, said Abalos asked Presiding Judge Jesus Mupas to allow him to travel to Taiwan from Jan. 28 to Feb. 1 next year to buy bangus (milkfish) fingerlings.

Judge Mupas and Judge Eugenio dela Cruz of Pasay RTC Branch 117 had earlier allowed Abalos to visit Taiwan. The former Comelec official, however, failed to leave because of invalidated passport.

Abalos had earlier told The STAR that he needs 10 days to process his travel documents.

He said he will file a petition before the Sandiganbayan where he is also facing graft charges over the botched $329 million National Broadband Network project with a Chinese firm during the Arroyo government.