In this Jan. 18, 2017 photo, Sen. JV Ejercito presides over a plenary session. JV Ejercito/Twitter
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito has asked the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan to allow him to leave the country for 16 days to accompany his mother, San Juan City Mayor Guia Gomez, on her birthday trip to France and Italy.
In his two-page urgent motion filed before the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division, Ejercito, through his lawyer Ma. Althea Rholene Raypon, asked the court to allow him to travel to France and Italy from March 28 to April 12, 2017.
Ejercito said his mother, who will be turning 75 years old on April 20, has long been dreaming of touring the town of Lourdes in France and Vatican City in Rome, Italy.
He said he also intends to hold discussions with overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) during his visit. Ejercito attached in his motion a letter from the Office of the Senate President allowing him to go to France and Italy to meet with the Filipino workers there.
Ejercito is facing trial before the Sixth Division for a technical malversation case in connection with the purchase of P2.1 million worth of sub-machine guns in 2008 during his term as mayor of San Juan City.
The ombudsman, who filed the case early last year, said the city government's calamity fund was used for the purchase despite having no state of calamity at that time. The ombudsman also said that the purchase was done in haste without competitive bidding and examination of the supplier’s qualifications.
In his motion, Ejercito maintained that he is not a flight risk and promised to immediately appear before the court upon his return to the country.
“Accused is not a flight risk, as he is a Senator of the Republic and owes fidelity to the people who voted for him. His scheduled quick return to the country also manifests the absence of any intention on his part to flee,” Ejercito's motion read.
Based on the itinerary, which was attached to Ejercito's motion, he and his mother will be arriving in Italy on March 29 and will stay there until April 4. They are set to visit the cities of Rome, Florence, Pisa, Venice and Milan as well as the town of Assisi.
Ejercito and Gomez are set to go to Paris, France on April 5 and will stay there until April 11 to visit the Louvre Museum, Disneyland, shopping stores and other “scenic spots along the way.”
The mother and son are expected to arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City at 9:40 p.m. on April 12.
The court's Fifth Division had earlier dismissed with finality the graft case against Ejercito still in connection with the firearms purchase.
Source : http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/03/15/1681366/jv-ejercito-asks-sandigan-nod-16-day-stay-france-italy