(Eagle News) — The Sandiganbayan has ordered the arrest of former Budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos for his failure to return from an overseas trip within the period allowed by the anti-graft court.
Relampagos was granted travel authority covering the period from Dec. 2, 2017 to Jan. 1, 2018, but has yet to return from the United States.
The Seventh Division directed the Department of Foreign Affairs to immediately cancel Relampagos’ passport.
It also ordered state prosecutors to initiate extradition proceedings against him.
Relampagos faces cases in connection with the pork barrel scam.
The Ombudsman said he was one of the officials who made possible the alleged misuse of the pork barrel allotment of former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile worth P172.8 million from 2004 to 2010.