MANILA, (PNA) — THIRTY-FIVE (35) out of the 38 respondents in the cases filed by the Department of Justice (DOH) in connection with the P10 billion Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel fund scam have been placed in the Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) Wednesday afternoon.
In a telephone interview, Bureau of Immigration (BI) spokesperson, Ma. Angelica Pedro said that Immigration Officer-in-Charge Siegfred Mison signed the order at 5:30 pm and was sent to bureau’s computer section for encoding and dissemination for all airports and seaports all over the country.
Excluded in the order are the three senators, Juan Ponce Enrile, Ramon Revilla, Jr and Jinggoy Estrada, who were charged with plunder before the Office of the Ombudsman on Monday.
Pedro explained the lawmakers were not included in the ILBO since they already made a pronouncement that they will not leave the country and since they are members of the Senate, which is considered equal branch of the government.
She added that the exclusion of the three lawmakers in the order should not be considered as special treatment.
“Kasi ‘yun ILBO is not a reason to hold the departure of anyone it is merely a travel advisory to inform the law enforcement agency responsible na itong mga tao na ito malapit na ito nag attempt alis ng bansa,” Pedro said.
She added, “Majority of the people in the PDAF case are faceless names. Hindi natin sila kilala we are just banking on their names kaya sila na identify as opposed dun sa 3 senators na kilala naman natin lahat.”