Sandigan allows Antonio Floirendo to travel to Hong Kong again

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has granted the request of Davao del Norte second district Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr. to travel to Hong Kong again.

“Over the objection from the prosecution, the instant motion is... granted, subject to the usual terms and conditions imposed by the court,” the anti-graft court court’s sixth division said in a resolution dated April 12.

Floirendo said he would be in Hong Kong from April 18 to 21.

He said his travel is for “spiritual purposes” and to take a break from the campaign trail.

Floirendo, who is seeking re-election, is running against Davao del Norte Vice Gov. Alan Dujali, an ally of former speaker and Davao del Norte first district Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez.

Floirendo attached in his motion a travel authority issued by Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo dated April 8.

The court had earlier allowed Floirendo to travel to Hong Kong from Feb. 2 to 6 and from Dec. 27, 2018 to Jan. 2.

A hold departure order was issued against Floirendo in connection with the graft charges he is facing for holding shares of stocks worth P7.5 million of Tagum Agricultural Development Co. Inc. (Tadeco), a banana plantation doing business with the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).

The Office of the Ombudsman said Floirendo remains a board member of Tadeco despite his election as congressman.

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

The ombudsman said the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act prohibits government officials from directly or indirectly having financial or pecuniary interest in any business, contract or transaction in which they are prohibited by the Constitution or by any law from having any interest.