MANILA - The Department of Foreign Affairs will ask the 3 senators and 34 others linked to the pork barrel scam to comment on the justice department's request to cancel their passports. DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez said the department's decision will then be based on the written comments and the Department of Justice's justification. "Nandun sa Section 4 ng Passport Act of 1996 na kailangan mayron ding hearing na gagawin para malaman natin yun kanilang side sa issue na ito," Hernandez said in a radio DZMM interview. "Yun secretary may cancel the passport of anyone, I believe may justification dito yun DOJ, so yan po ang titingnan ng DFA, at hihingiin din namin yun comment ng concerned parties." Meanwhile, Senator Francis Escudero said he is not in favor of the DOJ request to cancel the passports of his colleagues since no case has been filed in court yet. But Escudero also said he can't blame the DOJ for being aggressive since former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo almost left the country in 2011. "Hindi ko nakikitang may kinalaman sa public health, public safety at national security. Iba ang usapan pag naihain na yun kaso sa Sandiganbayan at may warrant of arrest at at large sila. Yan pwede na tagalang kanselahin ang passport pag sila ay nagtatago." ANC DATELINE PHILIPPINES, October 25, 2013
