Lookout bulletin issued vs Sen. De Lima, 5 others

DOJ secretary Vitaliano Aguirre stressed that Sen. Leila de Lima and the five others should be prevented from leaving the country without corresponding travel authority from their heads of offices. (Facebook photo)

MANILA—The Department of Justice on Monday issued an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) against Senator Leila De Lima and five others who are allegedly involved in the proliferation of illegal drugs inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.

A lookout bulletin order is issued to subject persons in order to at least monitor the itineraries of their flight, travel, and/or whereabouts. The persons subject of an LBO is allowed to travel subject to a permission from the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Aside to De Lima, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II also issued a lookout bulletin order (LBO) against Ronnie Dayan, the driver and alleged boyfriend of De Lima, former Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III, former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Franklin Bucayu, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission Executive Director Reginald Villasanta, and de Lima’s former security aide Joenel Sanchez.

Aguirre stressed that de Lima and the five others should be prevented from leaving the country without corresponding travel authority from their heads of offices.

“Said information shall be immediately and promptly relayed to the foregoing and to any other concerned government office or agency, keeping in mind that time is of the essence in those situations, especially to determine the appropriate course of action to be undertaken thereafter,” Aguirre said in his memorandum.

“Hence, all concerned are strongly warned against waiting until boarding time to inform concerned offices of any attempt to leave the country,” the memorandum added.

Aguirre said the ILBO was issued upon the recommendation of the National Bureau of Investigation, which is currently building up a case against the said individuals for their alleged role in the illegal drugs trade in the NBP.

“Considering the gravity of the possible commission of any offense, there is a strong possibility that they may attempt to place themselves beyond the reach of the legal processes of this Department by leaving the country. We thus deem the issuance of an ILBO against the subject persons prudent in order to at least monitor the itineraries of their flight, and/or whereabouts,” the memorandum stated.

Based on the memorandum, Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente is tasked to disseminate the details of the ILBO and to instruct immigration officers to be on alert for the said individuals should they pass through the immigration counters in any of the country’s international airports and seaports.

The BI is also mandated to immediately coordinate and seek assistance with the National Prosecution Office (NPO) or to the NBI in case they attempt to leave the country.