MANILA - Bohol Representative Arthur Yap is asking the Sandiganbayan to allow him to travel to Vietnam and Europe while his graft and malversation cases are ongoing.

In his motion to travel, Yap said he was invited by the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to visit Vietnam.

He said he would leave Manila for Hanoi in March 4 at 10 p.m. and will be back by March 8, 5:49 p.m.

It was the IMF that arranged his flight details and hotel accommodations, as he vowed to submit necessary ticket and itinerary details to the court, he added.

Yap also asked to travel to Europe from March 23 to April 10 for a family vacation and a meeting with several other government officials from the Netherlands and Belgium.

Yap is facing cases of graft, malversation and malversation through falsification over his alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam while he was secretary of the Department of Agriculture.

The lawmaker said he is not a flight risk, adding that he is committed to his constituents as the current representative of Bohol.