THE Sandiganbayan’s Seventh Division has ordered the arrest of former Budget undersecretary Mario Relampagos who is believed to have fled the country to escape the criminal charges filed against him in connection with the pork barrel scam.
In two separate minute resolutions, the anti-graft court said Relampagos’ lawyer himself had confirmed that the former Budget official had yet to return from his 31-day trip to the United States.
“Relying on accused Relampagos’ good faith in alleging his grounds to the United States, this court granted his motion to travel,” the Sandiganbayan said.
Needless to say, accused Relampagos, in failing to return to the country by Jan. 1, 2018, acted contrary to his representations to and in blatant contempt of this court.
“Accused Relampagos’ intent to evade prosecution is unmistakable not only from his failure to return to the country as undertaken but likewise from his communications to his counsel.”
The Sandiganbayan earlier allowed Relampagos to travel to the US from Dec. 2, 2017 to Jan. 1, 2018 to attend the meeting of The International Consortium on Governmental Financial Management, as well as to visit his daughter and three grandchildren.
The Sandiganbayan also ordered the Department of Foreign Affairs to cancel Relampagos’ passport, which will expire on Oct. 14, 2019. It also ordered the prosecution to initiate the extradition case against him.
The anti-graft court also forfeited the bail and travel bonds Relampagos had posted amounting to P70,000 and P35,000, respectively.
Similarly, the anti-graft court directed Relampagos’ lawyers Godofredo de Guzman, Arnold Caga and Christopher John Lao to show cause on why they should not be cited in contempt and why no administrative charges should be filed against them.
“This court has received the manifestation dated Jan. 10, 2018 filed by the counsel for accused Mario L. Relampagos, alleging that accused Relampagos, for various reasons relating to his numerous indictments before this court, has opted not to return to the country,” the Sandiganbayan said.
Relampagos is facing more than 300 pork barrel and Malampaya fund scam-related cases in all seven divisions of the anti-graft court.
De Guzman said Relampagos phoned him in January to apologize and said he would no longer return to the Philippines for he could no longer “psychologically and emotionally bear” his cases at the Sandiganbayan.
De Guzman also said Relampagos no longer had the resources to cover his bail and legal expenses, citing the P5.6 million that Relampagos had to raise to post bail for his Malampaya case alone.