Sandiganbayan junks Cunanan’s plea to reverse travel ban ruling

Dennis Cunanan. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan fifth division on Monday junked the plea of Dennis Cunanan for the court to reconsider its decision junking the travel motion of the pork barrel scam-tainted official.

The court was referring to its decision not to allow Cunanan to travel to Japan and US because of the risk that he might flee as he faces graft charges over the scam.

Cunanan had told the court his travel as the Junior Chambers International (JCI) secretary general was necessary especially as it is his only source of income after the investigation of the scam started.

Meanwhile, the prosecution said Cunanan was a flight risk. The panel also said Cunanan was not needed in the activities abroad.

In a decision released Monday, the division said of Cunanan’s motion for reconsideration that “after a careful review… this Court found the allegations of the movant to be a mere rehash/reiteration of his basic motion.”

“The court agrees with the prosecution that his presence in the … events are not indispensable and he is a flight risk,” the court added.

The division is hearing the plunder and graft case of Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada. Cunanan is a co-accused in graft as the former director general of the Technology Resource Center (TRC).

Cunanan is accused of using TRC as a conduit to divert lawmakers’ pork barrel funds to the bogus foundations of alleged scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

Cunanan as a provisional state witness had asked immunity from charges, but the Ombudsman junked his bid.