The Sandiganbayan has issued three hold-departure orders against Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, who is facing graft charges for a controversial property deal in her province.
The HDOs, dated July 24, were signed by Associate Justice Teresita Baldoz for the Sandiganbayan's Second Division.
Because of the issuance of the HDOs, Garcia will need the court's permission if she wants to travel abroad.
In July, the
Office of the Ombudsman charged Garcia before the Sandiganbayan for graft and technical malversation over the province's allegedly irregular purchase of property in Naga, Cebu.
In a text message to Yahoo! Southeast Asia, Garcia's counsel, Christina Codilla-Frasco, said they will file a motion for reconsideration on the HDOs. She said Garcia is a "good-standing member of the community who obviously poses no risk of flight." The HDOs will also prevent Garcia from fulfilling her duties "in official functions out of the country to which she has been invited."
Codilla-Frasco added Garcia filed a motion for reconsideration with the Ombudsman and a motion for suspension on July 25, a day after the HDOs were issued."Effectively, the HDOs were granted without Governor Garcia having had the opportunity to present evidence and arguments in her behalf," she said.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, who approved charges against Garcia, said the money used to buy the Balili property was diverted.
The province allegedly used P98.9 million meant for its Site Development and Housing Program to buy property that would provide "good opportunity for the Province of Cebu to develop and cater to the needs of any interested investors."
Under the Revised Penal Code, using funds for "any public use other than for which such fund or property were appropriated by law or ordinance" is illegal.
The Ombudsman also found that 196,696 square meters of the 249,246-square-meter property was underwater, "hence cannot be used for the purposes for which they were acquired."
Over graft raps, Cebu gov barred from leaving PH - Yahoo! News Philippines