Sandigan okays Garcia’s 10-day trip to China

MANILA, Philippines - Despite opposition from lawyers of the Office of the Ombudsman, the Sandiganbayan has granted Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia’s request that she be allowed to travel to China for 10 days.

In a two-page ruling issued Wednesday, the anti-graft court’s Second Division chaired by Associate Justice Teresita Diaz-Baldos said the former Cebu governor may leave the country from May 8 to 18.

Garcia, who is facing graft and malversation charges for her alleged involvement in an anomalous P98.93-million land deal in 2008, sought the Sandiganbayan’s permission to travel to China on April 22.

She will be attending an international conference of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

The Sandiganbayan granted her travel clearance since Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. had authorized her to attend the event.

Since she earlier had deposited a travel bond of P270,000 for a previous trip abroad, the anti-graft court said the same amount will cover for her travel bond for her new trip.

The Sandiganbayan also imposed the same conditions for her overseas trip, including reporting to the Second Division within five days from her return to the country to submit a manifestation attached to a copy of her passport.