DFA to 'pork' respondents: Comment on passport cancellation

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) asked respondents of Priority Development Assistance Funds plunder and malversation case to comment on the request for the cancelation of their passports.

The DFA said that before it can act on the Department of Justice's letter for the 37 tagged in the 'pork barrel' scam including Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Ramon Revilla, Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada., they should  submit written comments first.

"In accordance with Section 4 of the Philippine Passport Act of 1996 (R.A. 8239), the Department will ask the concerned persons to submit written comments on the request of the DOJ," it said in a statement issued late Monday.

"On the basis of the written comments submitted, the Department will make a decision on the request of the DOJ," it added.

On Thursday, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima asked the Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario to bar the respondents to travel abroad, citing the likelihood of flight in a high profile criminal case they are involved in.

Four of the respondents including Enrile's former aide Gigi Reyes and former representative Rodolfo Plaza went abroad before the formal charges were filed last September 16 before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Full story: DOJ asks DFA to cancel JPE, Jinggoy, Bong passports

De Lima has said the department would respect DFA's decision on the matter.

"In any case, the law grants them the right to be informed and heard before the DFA could decide on our request ... We shall defer to the DFA to exercise its sound discretion," she said in a statement.

Insisting on national security and the massive scale of plunder the opposition senators and others are involved in, the Justice chief said the move was not political.

"We don't do things based on partisan considerations," De Lima said in a statement.