MANILA: An immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) was issued yesterday to monitor the departures of at least 35 respondents in the plunder charge in connection with the P10bn ($240m) scam.
Sens. Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr were excluded from the ILBO signed by BI officer-in-charge Siegfred Mison at 5:30pm.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the three senators were not included in the ILBO “as a matter of courtesy to a coequal branch of government.”
BI spokesperson Ma Angelica Pedro said the three senators also “made pronouncements that they would not leave the country because they owe it to the Filipino people who have voted for them to be in their offices.”
When asked if special treatment is being accorded the three senators, Pedro said the ILBO is only meant to alert concerned law enforcement agencies that a person in the list is leaving the country.
An ILBO is not a reason to prevent the departure of a person, she said. “We do not know what they look like, we are just banking on their names and that is the only way we could identify them as opposed to the three senators who are known to all,” she added.
Airports all over the country have been put on alert for the possible departure of the 35 respondents, De Lima said. She lamented that the Department of Justice (DOJ) could not prevent suspects from leaving the country because the issuance of a watchlist order or hold departure order is suspended in view of an outstanding temporary restraining order.
The DOJ chief said the government could only prevent the flight of the 38 respondents when the ombudsman finishes its preliminary investigation, file the cases with the Sandiganbayan and orders their arrest.
the philippine star
