Hold Departure Order vs Rep. Michael Romero

INILABAS ng Manila Regional Trial Court ang hold departure order (HDO) laban kay  1-Pacman party-list Representative  Michael Romero dahil sa pagkuha ng P3.4 milyon sa Harbour Centre Port Terminal, Inc. (HCPTI) na pag-aari ng kanyang pamilya.

Nakapaloob ang HDO sa dalawang pahinang kautusan ni Manila RTC Branch 11 Judge Cicero Jurado Jr., para kay Romero at isa sa kanyang kapwa akusadong si Edwin Jeremillo.

Inatasan ni Jurado ang Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) at Bureau of Immigration (BI) na ilagay sina Romero at Jeremillo sa hold departure list.

“Furnish the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Bureau of Immigration a copy of this Order (HDO) together with the pertinent pictures and documents for their information and guidance,” ani Jurado sa kanyang kautusan.

Nitong nakalipas na Enero, inilabas ni Jurado ang arrest warrant laban kina Romero, Jeremillo, at Felicia Aquino para sa kasong qualified theft.

Sapol noon, hindi na nagpakita si Romero at hindi na dumadalo sa mga sesyon at aktibidad ng Kamara de Representantes.

“Despite the issuance of the warrant of arrest, both accused have evaded and have not been arrested so far. It was also pointed out that accused Michael Romero is currently the vice chairman of AirAsia Philippines, a low-cost airline based in Manila and an affiliate of AirAsia in Malaysia. Ergo, it was argued that it was easy for him to leave the country should he wish,” anang kautusan na nag-apruba sa mosyon ng kahilingan ng prosekusyon para sa pagpapalabas ng HDO.

“There is nothing, therefore, wrong in issuing the hold departure order,” dagdag ng kautusan.

Naunang sinabi ni House Majority Floor Leader at Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo “Rudy” Fariñas, hindi maaaring garantiyahan ng liderato ng Kongreso ang parliamentary immunity kay Romero at irerespeto ang naging kautusan ng korte. (JETHRO SINOCRUZ)