MANILA, Philippines - An immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) was issued yesterday to monitor the departures of at least 35 respondents in the plunder charge in connection with the P10-billion pork barrel scam.
Sens. Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr. were excluded from the ILBO signed by BI officer-in-charge Siegfred Mison at 5:30 p.m.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the three senators were not included in the ILBO “as a matter of courtesy to a co-equal branch of government.â€
BI spokesperson Ma. Angelica Pedro said the three senators also “made pronouncements that they would not leave the country because they owe it to the Filipino people who have voted for them to be in their offices.â€
When asked if special treatment is being accorded the three senators, Pedro said the ILBO is only meant to alert concerned law enforcement agencies that a person in the list is leaving the country.
An ILBO is not a reason to prevent the departure of a person, she said.
“We do not know what they (35 respondents) look like, we are just banking on their names and that is the only way we could identify them as opposed to the three senators who are known to all,†she added.
Airports on alert
Airports all over the country have been put on alert for the possible departure of the 35 respondents, De Lima said.
She lamented that the Department of Justice (DOJ) could not prevent suspects from leaving the country because the issuance of a watchlist order or hold departure order is suspended in view of an outstanding temporary restraining order.
The DOJ chief said the government could only prevent the flight of the 38 respondents when the ombudsman finishes its preliminary investigation, file the cases with the Sandiganbayan and orders their arrest.
De Lima earlier said the government would also move for the freezing of the assets of the three senators and their co-accused.
Included in the plunder charge sheet were former representative and now Masbate Gov. Rizalina Seachon-Lanete, former Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC) party-list representative Edgar Valdez, former Benguet congressman Samuel Dangwa, former Agusan del Sur congressman Rodolfo Plaza, and former Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Constantino Jaraula, who were charged with malversation of public funds.
Enrile’s chief-of-staff Jessica Lucila “Gigi†Reyes, Revilla’s employee Richard Cambe, Enrile’s and Estrada’s representative Ruby Tuason, Estrada’s staff Pauline Labayen, Lanete’s employee Jose Sumalpong, Lanete’s district staff Jeanette de la Cruz, Dangwa’s chief of staff Erwin Dangwa, and employee Carlos Lozada were also charged with plunder.
Also facing the same charges were six presidents of non-government organizations linked with businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, identified as Jocelyn Piorato of APMFI, Nemesio Pablo of AEPFFI, Mylene Encarnacion of CARED, John Raymund de Asis of KPMFI, Evelyn de Leon of PSDFI, and Ronald John Lim of GAMFI.
Ten officials and employees of the National Agribusiness Corp., the National Livelihood Development Corp., and the Technology Resource Center have also been charged.– With Edu Punay