Acosta asks court to let him travel

Nereus Acosta. Photo from comelec.gov.ph

MANILA, Philippines—Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) general manager Nereus Acosta on Wednesday sought the Sandiganbayan’s consent to travel to Chiangmai, Thailand, to attend back-to-back international environmental conferences.

Acosta recently posted bail on a perjury charge in connection with a graft case he is facing over allegedly corrupt acts he committed while he was still a representative for Bukidnon in the House of Representatives six years ago.

The Ombudsman has brought charges before the antigraft court’s 5th Division against Acosta and his mother, Soccoro, for the allegedly irregular transfer of some P5.5 million from Acosta’s pork barrel allocation to the Bukidnon Vegetable Producers Cooperative, a private company owned by the Acosta family. Socorro was at the time the mayor of Manolo Fortich town.—Cynthia D. Balana