The Department of Justice has allowed Sen. Leila M. de Lima to travel to the United States and Germany from December 11 to 22.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano N. Aguirre II said yesterday that the DoJ granted De Lima’s request and issued an Allow Departure Order to allow her to go overseas.
“Acting on the letter of Sen. De Lima relative to her plan to travel abroad, the DoJ has issued an Allow Departure Order or ADO to allow her to travel abroad because no case has as yet been filed against her before the courts,” said Aguirre.
De Lima said that she will receive an award in the US while she will be a speaker in the Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin, Germany.
“Both visits are very important to me because as a senator, I will have a chance to speak before influential world leaders and global thinkers on raising awareness and support for human rights, an advocacy I am passionate about,” said De Lima, adding that she will return to the country after her official travel.
“I hope my brief absence would provide a welcome relief and respite to my detractors and critics. I will keep them in mind though,” De Lima added.
De Lima and several others were placed in the Immigration Lookout Bulletin for their alleged involvement in the illegal drugs trade at the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City.
A lookout bulletin directs all Immigration officers to closely coordinate with the DoJ and National Bureau of Investigation and inform them of any attempt by the subjects to leave the country by forwarding details of their flight, itineraries, and or whereabouts. (Jeffrey G. Damicog)