Abalos can’t leave Philippines for Taiwan without valid passport

Former Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — But how can I leave?

Despite another favorable ruling issued by a Pasay court on his request to leave the country, former Commission on Elections Chair Benjamin Abalos reiterated on Tuesday that he could not yet leave for Taiwan since his passport has not been revalidated.

In a phone interview, Abalos said that he would file a motion seeking for a rescheduling of the initial dates he had requested from the courts either Tuesday or on Wednesday.

He said the motion would be filed at Branches 117 and 112 of the Pasay Regional Trial Court, and at the Sandiganbayan, where the charges of electoral sabotage and graft have been filed against him.

He said he would ask the courts to allow him to leave in the third or fourth week of January.

“I cannot have my passport revalidated (on time),” Abalos explained.

According to him, he would first have to furnish the Department of Foreign Affairs with copies of all the courts’ orders so that the process of passport revalidation could begin.

He reiterated that the DFA needed at least 10 days upon receipt of his passport for this.  If the courts would allow the reschedule, he said he would post the cash bond he had been ordered to pay.

At Branch 117 under Judge Eugenio de la Cruz, Abalos has to pay a P110,000 cash bond (P10,000 for each count of electoral sabotage) before he leaves the country.

Abalos said he has not paid the P200,000 bond ordered by Branch 112 Judge Jesus Mupas, and the overall P180,000 bond set by the Sandiganbayan.

“I will just talk to my business partners (in Taiwan),” Abalos said.