The Office of the Ombudsman is requesting the assistance of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to ensure that 77 individuals under fact finding investigation will not leave the country.
In a press briefing on Wednesday, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla clarified that it is separate from the one filed before the Sandiganbayan.
“We have been studying the possibilities that are there for us to keep people in the country because there are several who are leaving… This is aside from the one filed before the Sandiganbayan for those who are under preliminary investigation that is a precautionary hold departure order,” he said in Filipino.
“This one is part of the function of being a government. This is a foreign restriction travel order. For as long as you are under investigation and part of the government, you should not be traveling or leaving this jurisdiction,” he added.
He noted that it is part of the powers of the Ombudsman.
Remulla, who is also a former lawmaker, underscored the need to have a travel authority even for personal or official capacity.
He confirmed that he signed the request on Wednesday afternoon.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “Ombudsman seeks Immigration help to restrict travel of 77 people”
