By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA, Philippines — The personal aide of former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, who is among those charged in a P7.4-billion plunder case, has left the country before the Sandiganbayan issued a hold-departure order against her, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) confirmed.
BI spokesperson Anisha Hassan identified the aide as Joselyn Serenio, a co-accused in the plunder case involving Romualdez and former Ako Bicol party-list congressman Zaldy Co.
Hassan said immigration records showed that Serenio had already departed the Philippines before the Sandiganbayan issued its HDO dated Sept. 7.
The court issued the HDO against Romualdez, Co, Serenio and Felicito Cristobal Guevarra, identified as president of Samchan Foreign Exchange Corp.
The four are accused of involvement in alleged kickbacks amounting to P7.4 billion in connection with government infrastructure and flood control projects.
“Based on the latest available immigration records, Romualdez and Guevarra remain in the Philippines, while Co and Serenio are currently outside the country. The two individuals had already departed the Philippines prior to the issuance of the HDO,” Hassan said.
The BI confirmed that it had received a copy of the court order and implemented the HDO against Romualdez and the three other accused.
Hassan said the bureau would continue to strictly enforce the order and undertake appropriate immigration measures within its mandate.
The BI, however, declined to disclose specific travel details or other personal information involving the accused, citing the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and other applicable laws.
With Serenio already outside the country, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it is coordinating with international partners as authorities work to locate and arrest her.
PNP spokesman Col. Allen Rae Co said the matter falls under international cooperation mechanisms involving fugitives from the law.
“It’s already within international cooperation with other countries regarding fugitives from the law,” Co said during a news briefing at Camp Crame.
Meanwhile, police continue their manhunt for Guevarra.
Co said authorities are pursuing all individuals against whom warrants of arrest have been issued.
“Just like everybody who has an issued warrant of arrest against them, we are looking for them,” he said.
The case now puts the authorities in a race to locate the accused who have left the country while enforcing the Sandiganbayan’s orders against those who remain within Philippine jurisdiction.
ia/xf
