Ex-CDO Rep. Jaraula asks Sandiganbayan permission to travel to Italy

Former Cagayan De Oro Rep. Constantino Jaraula has asked the Sandiganbayan to allow him to travel to Italy this month for a trip with his family.

In his seven-page motion submitted to the anti-graft court's First Division, Jaraula asked permission for him to travel to Rome from May 27 to June 11.

Jaraula, 79, said the trip was in fulfillment of his "personal vow" and a pilgrimage with his family "as he enters the twilight years of his career."

In seeking the court's nod, Jaraula said his travel will not pose any threat to national security, public safety or public health.

He also said that even though he lives in Cagayan De Oro City, he has consistently attended the hearings for his cases and complied with the directives of the court.

"As such, the Accused has shown, especially owing to his advanced age, that he is not a flight risk and that he has no intention to abscond from the country to avoid prosecution for these cases," his motion read.

Jaraula is facing three counts each of malversation, graft and direct bribery stemming from his alleged misuse of P50.5 million-worth of his Priority Development Assistance Fund from 2004 to 2007.

Based on the information of the cases filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in February last year, Jaraula funneled his PDAF to fake foundations allegedly owned by businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles in exchange for P20.8 million-worth of commissions. — Erwin Colcol/RSJ, GMA News