MANILA, Philippines—The Sandiganbayan Fourth Division has issued a hold departure order against former Masbate Representative Rizalina Seachon-Lanete due to her plunder charges over the pork barrel scam.
“The Bureau of Immigration and Deportation is hereby directed to bar/prohibit the above-named accused from leaving the Philippines for any destination abroad, either by air or sea transport, except by prior written permission duly secured from and granted by this Court,” read the hold order released on Thursday.
Upon determining probable cause, the court is expected to release the arrest warrant against the former legislator facing plunder, a non-bailable offense.
Lanete, incumbent Masbate governor, faces plunder and graft charges over the pork barrel scam allegedly masterminded by Janet Lim-Napoles.
She is accused of pocketing P108.405 million allegedly siphoned from her Priority Development Assistance Funds from 2004 to 2010.
Her co-accused also included in the hold departure order are Napoles and her employee, John Raymund De Asis, who both face plunder; Budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos and his staff Rosario Nunez, Lalaine Paule, Marilou Bare; former directors-general of the Technology Resource Center (TRC) Antonio Ortiz and Dennis Cunanan; Allan Javellana, former president of National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor); Gondelina Amata, president of the National Livelihood Development Corp. (NLDC);
TRC employees Marivic Jover, Francisco Figura, Consuelo Lilian Espiritu, and Ma. Rosalinda Lacsamana; NLDC employees Emmanuel Sevidal, Sofia Cruz, Chita Jalandoni, Gregoria Buenaventura, and Ofelia Ordonez; Nabcor employees Rhodora Mendoza, Victor Cacal, Maria Ninez Guanizo, Maria Julie Villarolvo-Johnson, and Romulo Relevo; and other individuals Mylene Encarnacion, Eulogio Rodriguez, Evelyn De Leon, Jose Sumalpong, Jeaneth Dela Cruz, Henry Soliman, and Filipina Rodriguez.
Lanete is part of the second batch of lawmakers facing charges for purportedly pillaging public funds. APEC Rep. Edgar Valdez faces plunder for allegedly raking in P57.787 million in kickbacks. Meanwhile, facing malversation raps are former Agusan Del Sur. Rep. Rodolfo Plaza, Benguet Rep.Samuel Dangwa, and Cagayan De Oro Rep. Constantino Jaraula.
The antigraft court is also hearing the plunder cases of detained senators Ramon Revilla Jr., Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile.
RELATED STORIES
Former solons, Napoles face fresh batch of pork barrel scam case