By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Former Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi is seeking court permission to travel to China and Japan beginning October 31, despite opposition from prosecutors handling his graft case over the controversial sale of a stake in the Malampaya gas project.
The Sandiganbayan Third Division on Monday submitted Cusi’s travel motion for resolution after the Office of the Special Prosecutor questioned the necessity of his planned trips to attend an import-export fair in China and a food fair in Japan.
Jezreel Zapanta of the Office of the Special Prosecutor told the court that Cusi’s motion failed to specify the duration of his stay and his exact return date, although the trip was expected to last less than 30 days.
“This is not an emergency, your honor,” Zapanta said, arguing that there was no absolute necessity for the former energy chief to travel abroad.
Cusi’s lawyer, Joey Rose De Leon, countered that his client was not a flight risk, citing the fact that his family would remain in the Philippines. Cusi also told the court that his last trip abroad was in July 2025.
Associate Justice Karl Miranda, chair of the Third Division, said the motion was submitted for resolution.
Cusi is facing graft charges stemming from his alleged role in facilitating the 2019 sale of Chevron’s 45-percent stake in the Malampaya gas project to UC Malampaya, a subsidiary of Udenna Corp., owned by businessman Dennis Uy.
Special prosecutors alleged that the transaction caused substantial losses to the government, claiming that UC Malampaya acquired the stake for approximately US$387 million despite its reported valuation of US$565 million at the time.
The prosecution said the transaction resulted in an alleged loss of nearly US$177.4 million.
Prosecutors also cited discrepancies in reported gas production, saying UC Malampaya produced US$338 million less than its actual production in 2018, while the Malampaya consortium recorded gas proceeds of US$1.225 billion in 2018 and US$1.295 billion in 2019.
The court has yet to rule on Cusi’s request to travel abroad.
ia/xf
