SC allows Bohol Governor-elect Arthur Yap to travel abroad
MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) has allowed Bohol Governor-elect Arthur C. Yap to travel this month until June 29 to attend a program on solid waste management and desalination in the Netherlands and spend time with his family.
In a four-page resolution dated June 3 but made public June 7, the high court’s first division granted Yap’s motion to travel but with conditions such as a court permission to travel because he is subject of a hold order for facing a graft case before the Sandiganbayan.
In his motion, Yap said he is not a flight risk given that he ran and won during the last election. He added that his family is in the country.
The high court, in granting Yap’s request, said the governor-elect has to post a travel bond of P100,000 with SC, designate in writing – in a form of a special power of attorney – his personal agent with authority to act for and on his behalf for the duration of his travel abroad, and file written notice of his arrival within 24 hours from his return to the Philippines.
The outgoing Bohol 3rd District representative and former agriculture chief said he and members of his family will travel to Belgium, the Netherlands, Japan, and South Korea from June 6 until June 29.
“In view of the manifestations and the assurances by the petitioner (Yap) that he has no reason to flee the jurisdiction or to evade his responsibilities, the Court finds that he has proven that he is not a flight risk,” the high court said.
Yap, together with former Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary William Padolina, was charged with violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in connection with the P15.8 million car plan of the Philippine Rice Research Institute in 2008 and 2009. He was charged in his capacity as chairperson of the rice research institute.
When the Sandiganbayan denied his motion to dismiss the case, he elevated the matter to SC.
Yap said he also has a P120,000 travel bond posted before the Sandiganbayan.
Last May 3, SC has temporarily stopped the Sandiganbayan from proceeding with its trial on Yap’s graft case. (Editor: Katherine G. Adraneda)
