Gwen seeks court approval to travel abroad

Cebu third district Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia has sought permission from the Sandiganbayan to travel abroad.

In a motion filed on Thursday, Garcia said she and other members of the House committee on population and family relations would conduct a public hearing and consultation on the divorce bill with Filipino workers in Japan from November 23 to 26.

She said she would also visit Shanghai from November 30 to December 2 to attend the International Innovation Summit and the International Innovation Awards of Enterprise Asia.

Garcia said she would also visit Filipino communities in China to discuss priority legislation.

She assured the court that she is not a flight risk, citing her timely return to the Philippines during her previous foreign trips.

“There exists no threat or danger that... Garcia will depart, prejudice, hamper or otherwise obstruct the administration of justice in the instant cases,” her motion declared.

Garcia is facing charges of malversation and two counts of graft before the second division of the Sandiganbayan in connection with the alleged anomalous purchase of a parcel of land when she was governor in 2008.

The 24.92-hectare property in Barangay Tiga-an, Naga worth P98.926 million was intended for the provincial government's housing and seaport projects.

However, investigation showed 19.67 hectares of the property were submerged in water and not suitable for human settlement and the construction of an international seaport.