The Sandiganbayan has denied the request of former Technology and Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC) deputy director Dennis Cunanan, one of many accused in graft and malversation expenses in reference to the pork barrel rip-off, to journey to the United States for his daughter’s commencement.
In a 12-page decision dated May 8, 2023, the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division mentioned Cunanan didn’t disclose his earlier legal convictions in addition to to connect varied supporting paperwork — resembling his Philippine passport, US visa, confirmed flight/aircraft tickets, confirmed lodge bookings, contact numbers whereas overseas, and duly notarized enterprise of his counsel — to his request.
The anti-graft court docket was referring to Cunanan’s graft and malversation of public funds convictions in legal case numbers SB-17-CRM-1496 and 1497, in addition to SB-17-CRM-0930 and 0940, each entitled People v. Gregorio Ipong et. al. and are associated to the pork barrel rip-off.
“Such convictions by Cunanan, though not yet final, make him a flight risk and necessitates that the court take greater caution in determining whether he should be allowed to travel in order to safeguard the system of justice,” the Sandiganbayan mentioned.
“Such omissions heighten the court’s impression that accused Cunanan is not being forthright and transparent about his intended travel,” it added.
Cunanan, within the graft and malversation instances pending earlier than the division, is accused of mishandling the P10-million pork barrel — or the Priority Development Assistant Fund (PDAF) — of former Laguna lawmaker Danton Bueser and transferring it to an ineligible non-government entity.
“While the court notes that he has been acquitted in some cases, the fact remains that accused Cunanan has been convicted in some cases, though pending appeal with the Supreme Court,” the Sandiganbayan mentioned.
“His non-disclosure of his convictions in some cases severely taints accused Cunanan’s candor before the court. Thus, based on all the foregoing, the court is constrained to deny Cunanan’s motion for leave to travel abroad. Wherefore, accused Dennis L. Cunanan’s Motion for Leave of Court to Travel dated 14 March 2023 is denied for lack of merit,” it added.
Cunanan, in asking the anti-graft court docket to permit him to journey, mentioned he’s keen to be escorted by a member of the Philippine National Police through the length of the journey or to make reportorial preparations with the closest Philippine Consulate workplaces, together with the give up of his passport.
Cunanan additionally assured the Sandiganbayan that he will probably be reachable by his private cellular quantity, and that he will probably be out there anytime by way of videoconference ought to the court docket require his presence in any listening to.
The Sandiganbayan, nevertheless, was not satisfied.
“These are not effective measures that can counter the possibility of flight. Evidently, his activities cannot be monitored 24/7 by either the PNP escort or the consular officials,” it mentioned.
“If granted leave to travel abroad, accused Cunanan will still be travelling freely and this will open a window of opportunity for him to leave the jurisdiction from where his criminal cases still thrive. These [assurances] are vastly inadequate to allay the doubt which the court entertains about his risk,” the Sandiganbayan added. —KBK, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
