Hold-departure orders mulled vs Shell execs, Globe Asiatique owner

The Department of Justice is now mulling the issuance of a hold-departure order (HDO) against the embattled owner of Globe Asiatique and officials of Pilipinas Shell, after the two firms were recently subjected to separate official inquiries about their alleged malpractices. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, speaking at the sidelines of the Lower House deliberation on the 2011 proposed national budget, told reporters that “the issuance of watch list would be seriously considered" if cases were filed against Delfin Lee of Globe Asiatique Realty Corp. and executives of the local subsidiary of the multinational oil firm. “In fact, the Bureau of Immigration, they are working on it, the issuance of watch list. [If a case is filed], it will be converted into hold-departure order," De Lima told reporters. During the deliberation on the DOJ budget, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said the HDO should be issued against Shell officials to assure their presence in the court proceedings. He said the same should be made against Lee. On Thursday, the Bureau of Customs filed a multi-billion peso technical smuggling complaint against Pilipinas Shell. (See: Pilipinas Shell in ‘biggest’ smuggling rap in RP history) Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez said the oil firm wrongfully declared and classified petroleum importations from August 2005 to May 2009, defrauding the government of about P24.4 billion in excise and value-added taxes. No complaint has been filed so far against Lee, whose company has accused of using the Pag-IBIG funds for bogus housing loans and questionable housing development projects. The Senate conducted a probe on the housing loan mess last month, where Enrile challenged Pag-IBIG officials to file a case against Lee. (See: Senate probes Pag-IBIG housing loan mess) Property developer Globe Asiatique was allegedly able to take out at least P6.6 billion in housing loan proceeds for buyers of its housing projects in Pampanga. Of 9,951 alleged Pag-IBIG borrowers in the Globe Asiatique deals, 1,000 could not be located, 400 denied applying for housing loans, and 200 had incomplete document for the transaction.—JV, GMANews.TV