MANILA, Philippines -- The Sandiganbayan anti-graft court has issued a hold departure order (HDO) against suspended Bataan Governor Enrique "Tet" Garcia Jr. and 10 other provincial officials in connection with a graft case filed against them by the Office of the Ombudsman.
In a one-page order, the Sandiganbayans 3rd Division, chaired by Associate Justice Francisco Villaruz Jr., ordered the Bureau of Immigration to also include former vice governor Benjamin Alonzo, Bataan board members Edgardo Calimbas, Eduard Florendo, Edward Roman, Orlando Miranda, Rodolfo Izon, Manuel Beltran, former board members Fernando Austria and Rodolfo Salandanan and Balanga City Councilor Dante Manalaysay in the HDO.
"Let a Hold Departure Order be issued for the accused in these cases (SB-08-CRM-0410-0411)," the anti-graft court said.
Garcia and the other officials were charged in January with plunder and violation of the anti-graft law for their alleged links to the illegal seizure and sale of P120 million worth of disputed assets of the bankrupt paper mill Sunrise Paper Products Industries Inc.
Based on the complaint, the Bataan officials allegedly illegally disposed of Sunrise's machinery and equipment and that the provincial government took over its assets because of real estate tax deficiency amounting to P2.3 million.
The Sandiganbayan has scheduled a hearing on December 8 for the determination of probable cause and determination for the issuance of warrants of arrest.
