Senator Sherwin Gatchalian Monday pleaded not guilty before Sandiganbayan Fourth Division where he is facing graft, malversation and violation of bank regulation cases in connection with allegedly anomalous buy-out of a bank in 2009.

Gatchalian, who was elected to the Upper House in the 2016 national elections, went to the Sandiganyan during his conditional arraignment as condition for his travel request to join the presidential delegation to China. .

The court asked Gatchalian to post a travel bond of P270,000 after the prosecution said he was a flight risk because he has yet to be arraigned.

On Thursday, the court reprimanded Gatchalian for pressuring justices to immediately resolve his motion and failing to comply with a three-day notice on urgent motions.DMS