Comelec Commissioner Grace Padaca and her lawyer arrived early at the Sandiganbayan for a hearing on her motion to travel abroad Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012. TETCH TORRES/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines–The Sandiganbayan 5th Division on Tuesday granted the request of Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Grace Padaca to go to the US
to participate in an International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) program about the US elections.
The conference will be held on November 4 to 7 in Washington D.C., but she sought for a 10-day leave from November 2 to 12.
Padaca was not allowed to go outside the country due to criminal case filed against her.
The Sandiganbayan issued an arrest warrant after she was accused of giving undue advantage to the Economic Development for Western Isabela and Northern Luzon Foundation Inc. (EDWINLFI), a non-government organization tapped to manage a credit facility for Isabela’s rice farmers under a hybrid seed distribution program.
President Benigno Aquino III posted a P70,000-bail on Padaca’s behalf.