Chris Brown’s promoter released on bail

Chris Brown's promoter John Michael Pio Roda was temporarily freed after the Bureau of Immigration approved the Canadian's bail plea in connection with the $1-million estafa case against them.

BI spokesperson Elaine Tan said Roda sought bail last July 24 through his legal counsel, Raymond Fortun.

The BI approved the bail petition last August 11 shortly after Fortun posted a P50,000 peso cash bond for and on behalf of Roda, said Tan.

As a condition for his temporary freedom, Pio had to surrender his passport to the BI to prevent any attempt to leave the country.

The promoter was also required to appear to the BI’s Intelligence Division every first Monday and third Monday of the month.

Roda is also being held for working without the appropriate working visa and is also accused of being an undesirable alien.

Pio Roda has been detained at the Bureau of Immigration for the last two weeks, after he and Brown were placed under a lookout bulletin for the failed negotiations with Maligaya Development Corp, which runs the Philippine Arena, where the R&B singer was supposed to perform last New Year's Eve.

They were slapped with a US$1-million complaint for swindling through estafa.

Brown was eventually allowed to leave while Roda remained under BI custody, after he was charged separately for absconding and working without a permit. -NB, GMA News