Syjucos seek medical furlough

By Czarina Nicole Ong

Former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) chief Augusto Syjuco Jr. and his wife, former Iloilo 2nd District Rep. Judy Syjuco, are once again asking permission from different divisions of the Sandiganbayan to travel to Singapore for a medical furlough from January 3 to 14, 2019.

Augusto Syjuco Jr.
(Michael Varcas / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)

He earlier requested to travel from December 6, 2018 to January 6, 2019 in order to undergo a surgical operation for his back pain. However, Syjuco decided not to have the surgery and opted to return on December 17.

Syjuco was advised to continue with his current medical treatment involving “Advanced Myelodysplastice Syndrome” at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.

For this treatment period, Syjuco has requested for a period of 11 days. “The medicine- Azacitidine – is not yet available nor approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the Philippines and that its administration would require delicate and special monitoring and experience,” his motion read.

Just like Syjuco’s previous trips, his wife hopes to be by his side. “They are not a flight risk as they have every intention to vindicate their names, they will appear before this Honorable Court whenever necessary or whenever required to do so, they have ownership of real properties in Iloilo City and Makati City, and they are not fugitives from justice,” their motion read.

Syjuco filed his motion before the Second Division, while his wife filed hers before the Third Division.

The Syjuco couple added that they are willing and ready to comply with whatever reasonable conditions the anti-graft court would choose to impose on their travel abroad.

Syjuco is facing two graft charges before the Second Division in relation to the reportedly anomalous implementation of educational programs for Iloilo.

On the other hand, his wife was slapped with graft and malversation through falsification charges for purchasing 1,582 units of Nokia 1100 phones worth P5,964,859.99 for Region VI back in 2005 without conducting a public bidding.