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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Tolentino: Ex-DBM OIC Lao attempted to fly to Singapore last month

Tolentino: Ex-DBM OIC Lao attempted to fly to Singapore last month

Published Oct 19, 2022 04:44 pm

Senator Francis Tolentino on Wednesday, October 19 disclosed that former officer-in-charge of the Department of Budget and Management’s Procurement Service (DBM-PS) Christopher Lloyd Lao made an attempt to fly to Singapore last month despite his inclusion in the Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) lookout bulletin.

“I was informed that there was an attempt last month to (fly to) Singapore but he was intercepted at the Immigration,” Tolentino said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.

Tolentino, who chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee pointed out that majority of the senators who were part of the panel had declined Lao’s request to be given a travel clearance.

Lao has been part of an immigration lookout bulletin since September 2021, after he and seven other individuals were involved in the alleged irregularities in the purchase of billions worth of pandemic supplies, which the Senate panel investigated.

Tolentino said Lao was not allowed to travel abroad because he is also required to attend the ongoing hearings of the blue ribbon committee on the procurement of alleged overpriced but outdated laptops procured by the Department of Education (DepEd).

“His attendance (in the DepEd hearing) is being required relative to this laptop deal," Tolentino said.

"In fairness to him, he is being cooperative. He attends the hearing. He attends and speaks at hearings,” he stressed.

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