Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Justices of the Sandiganbayan reprimanded an indicted senator on Thursday for rushing them on his request to travel with the President to China.
Neophyte senator Win Gatchalian on Wednesday asked the Fourth Division of the anti-graft court to allow him to leave the country from October 18 to 21.
Related: Gatchalians among indicted for bank takeover
Gatchalian said he was invited by President Rodrigo Duterte to be a part of the Philippine delegation to Duterte’s first state visit 2016 to China. He wanted the Sandiganbayan to deliberate on his motion Thursday.
His move violated the three-day general rule for setting pleadings for hearings, a standard procedure that all accused must follow.
“To be candid, we don’t want to be accused of giving preference to the accused. That’s the worst thing that could happen to the judiciary,” division chairman Associate Justice Jose Hernandez said in the hearing.
Gatchalian, along with his younger brother were charged in July with graft, malversation of funds, and violation of bank regulations over an anomaly-ridden 2009 buyout of a bank which his family co-owned.
The justices added they could be sanctioned by the Supreme Court if they granted an exemption to the three-day rule without valid reason.
Gatchalian said he was invited by the Office of the President to join the China trip only on late Monday. He will be there to observe, he added.
“It’s very significant because China is one of our strongest and wealthiest neighbor so maraming opportunities dito sa atin (there are many opportunities for us), but because of the issue in West Philippine Sea, na-strain yung relations (our relations were strained) so this is a new door being opened,” Gatchalian told reporters in an interview after the hearing.
But the justices were unsatisfied with his reasoning.
They questioned why the senator’s brother, Congressman Weslie Gatchalian, who was also indicted in the graft case, was able to ask the court for permission as early as last week.
Related: Rep. Gatchalian asks Sandiganbayan permission to travel abroad
“You are pressing us for time,” Justice Hernandez said.
State prosecutors have until this afternoon to file their formal opposition to Gatchalian’s motion, then the matter will be submitted for resolution.
