• Office of Minority Leader Edcel C. Lagman
• 0916-6406737 / 0918-9120137
• 06 November 2011

         Contrary to the malevolent statement of Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda, I have no patron other than my constituents in Albay and the Constitution.

          Lacierda should only allude to himself as the unelected and unelectable servant of the President.

          While Lacierda speaks solely for the President, I speak on behalf of my constituents and other citizens of the Republic to uphold the supremacy of the Constitution, and in this instance, the citizens’ constitutional right to travel.

          The freedom to travel should not depend on the dispensation of the President or on the whims of his subalterns.

          A citizen cannot be barred from traveling abroad in the absence of any criminal charges in court and without a hold departure order issued by a competent court based on a finding that the projected travel affects or involves national security, public safety or public health, the only three constitutional limitations to the right to travel as shall be provided by law.

          The Congress has not enacted the implementing statute pursuant to the mandate of the Constitution.