Senate President Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian said Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano did not need permission from the Senate to travel abroad if his reported trip to Singapore was personal and private.
Gatchalian made the statement Thursday, amid reports that Cayetano had traveled to Singapore with his sister, Sen. Pia Cayetano, as speculation circulated online that the senator could face a criminal indictment over alleged anomalies linked to the hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
“Nakita ko nga iyan no, mga umiikot sa social media but hindi ko pa naveverify kung totoo o hindi,” Gatchalian said in an interview with DZRH’s Dos Por Dos.
Gatchalian said senators do not need to notify the Senate or secure a travel authority for private trips.
“Ang policy ng senado kung private trip, personal trip mo iyon, hindi ka na kailangan magpaalam sa senado,” he said.
“Pwede ka na lang bumyahe at of course dapat bumalik ka before session o before hearing,” Gatchalian added.
He noted that the Senate follows a four-day workweek and does not hold a session on Thursdays, allowing some senators to leave the country on Thursday and return by Sunday.
Gatchalian also said, based on his knowledge, Cayetano had no immigration lookout bulletin order or hold departure order against him.
“Sa pagkakaalam ko wala,” Gatchalian said when asked whether Cayetano was subject to an ILBO or HDO.
He added that travel authority is required only for official trips.
“Ang travel authority ay for official travel lang. Hindi ko alam yung circumstances pero kung yan ay private trip hindi naman kailangan ng travel authority,” Gatchalian said.
Photos circulating online showed Cayetano at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, where he was seen lining up at Gate 109 for Singapore Airlines flight SQ 921. The flight departed at 6:34 p.m. Wednesday.
On Thursday, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) confirmed that Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Pia Cayetano are currently out of the country.
The BI said there were no hold departure orders or derogatory records against the two senators as of their departure date that would have legally prevented them from leaving the Philippines.
The agency, however, declined to disclose specific details about their travel, including their itinerary, citing the Data Privacy Act of 2012.
The confirmation of the Cayetano siblings’ departure came amid speculation online that Alan Cayetano could face criminal charges in connection with alleged irregularities involving the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
