Sandigan OKs Floirendo’s Hong Kong trip

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has allowed Davao del Norte second district Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr., who is facing graft charges over his alleged unlawful financial interests in a banana plantation doing business with the government, to travel abroad.

At a hearing on Friday, the Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division granted Floirendo’s motion to travel to Hong Kong from Sept. 26 to 29.

The anti-graft court directed the congressman to submit his itinerary and flight details as well as a travel authority from the office of Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In his motion filed on Sept. 20, Floirendo said he intends to go to Hong Kong “for health and official business purposes.”

He said he needs “rest and recuperation,” noting that he had been “extremely busy” for the past months.

Floirendo said he would attend a business meeting on Sept. 28 “in relation to the family’s business.”

Floirendo said he is not a flight risk, citing his return to the country after his previous trips abroad. 

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman last February, the charges against Floirendo stemmed from allegations that he still owns 75,000 shares of stocks of the Tagum Agricultural Development Co. Inc. (Tadeco) worth P7.5 million.

Graft probers said Floirendo remains a board member of Tadeco, a banana plantation owned by his family, despite his election as congressman.

Tadeco entered into a joint venture agreement with the Bureau of Corrections in 1969, which allowed the firm to lease 3,000 hectares of land in the Davao Penal Colony for a banana plantation.

The Sandiganbayan had earlier said it would proceed with the trial of Floirendo as it denied his motion to dismiss the case.