Sandiganbayan OKs Gwen Garcia travel to China

Cebu Representative Gwendolyn Garcia. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Sandiganbayan Second Division on Wednesday allowed Cebu Representative Gwendolyn Garcia to travel abroad.

Garcia is facing two counts of graft and one count of illegal use of public funds for the Cebu government’s purchase of 24.7 hectares of beachfront property for P98.9 million.

Garcia will be going to China from May 8 to 18 to attend a conference.

“Accordingly, accused Gwendolyn Garcia is allowed to travel to the People’s Republic of China from May 8 to 18, 2014 to attend an international conference by the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China per authorization of the Speaker of the House, Cong. Feliciano Belmonte Jr.,” the Sandiganbayan said in its ruling.

The court ordered Garcia to submit a copy of her passport with stamped with the date she left and arrived at the country.

Garcia already has a P200,000 travel bond before the court.

“Should she not return as undertaken and fail to present herself at the hearings of these cases despite due notice, she shall be deemed to have waived her presence and such waiver shall not preclude the Court from forfeiting her bail and travel bond,” the anti-graft court said.

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