Former Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos, accused of election sabotage and graft, has been allowed by the courts handling his cases to fly to Taiwan to buy milkfish fingerlings for his fish pond business.
Fernan Angeles of InterAksyon.com reports Pasay City Regional Trial Court Judge Jesus Mupas has given Abalos permission to travel to Taiwan from January 28 to February 1. This, in exchange for a cash bond of P200,000.
"According to Abalos, he wanted to keep his aquaculture business going because his employees depend on it for their livelihood," the report said. He was given permission to travel last year but couldn’t because his passport was expired.
Abalos is facing electoral sabotage charges before Pasay RTC branches 112 and 115 over allegations he helped rig the 2007 elections. He is also facing graft charges over the scrapped and controvery-ridden ZTE National Broadband Network contract.
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