MANILA, Philippines -- Lawyer Harry Roque and two lawyers of the Senate blue ribbon committee were not allowed Thursday night to enter the Ninoy International Airport where they had gone to witness the enforcement of the arrest order against former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante.

Roque, who claims to be part of the blue ribbon committee’s legal team, identified the two other lawyers as Sarah Arriola, director of investigation, and Rene Conchu, director of assessment and monitoring, of the committee.

Arriola confirmed being denied entry into the airport.

Asked why they were there, Arriola said in a text message: "We were tasked by Senator [Alan Peter] Cayetano to see the enforcement of the order of arrest as the blue ribbon committee Secretariat."

Roque, who has been monitoring Bolante's case in the United States, said he could not understand why they were barred entry by airport officials when the former agriculture official’s lawyers were allowed to enter.

"Ayaw lang nila. Kung pinapasok nila ang mga abogado ni Bolante, bakit hindi naman kami [They just would not allow. If they allowed the lawyers of Bolante to enter, why not us]?" he said over the phone.

Bolante is returning to the country after being deported by the United States. Arresting teams from the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms are at the airport to serve him an arrest order and take him into custody as soon as he arrives.

The arrest order was issued in December 2005 after Bolante snubbed summons to appear before the Senate inquiry into the alleged diversion of P728 million in fertilizer funds to the 2004 campaign kitty of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

He fled to the US but was arrested there after the American government cancelled his visa. He applied for but was denied asylum.