It looks like Chris Brown is in trouble with the law once again. The Grammy Award winning singer has just been barred from leaving the Philippines by the country's Department of Justice due to a contractual dispute. His promoter John Michael Pio De Roda, has also been blocked from leaving the country until the dispute is settled.
Bureau of Immigration spokeswoman Elaine Tan said Brown and Pio Roda, were placed on the bureau's "lookout bulletin" on the instruction of the Department of Justice.
Tan said a lookout bulletin differs from an outright hold order. She said the justice department order instructs the bureau to "take prudent steps to verify on the status of the criminal case against the subjects".
"If the concerned agency raises no objection to the departure, then we will allow the subject to leave," said the spokesperson.
Brown's latest legal issues stem from a missed concert earlier this year. Brown was scheduled to perform at a New Year's Eve celebration at the 55,000 seat Philippine Arena. However the singer had to back out of the appearance at the last minute because he allegedly misplaced his passport the day before his scheduled departure.
Now Iglesia Ni Cristo, the local religious organization with owns and manages the venue, is claiming that the performer and his camp must face legal action for failing to meet the terms of their New Year's Eve agreement.
They wrote on Tuesday to the justice secretary, Leila de Lima, to ask for assistance in prosecuting the criminal complaint of fraud that the organization is filing against Brown and Pio Roda.
Brown was set to depart from Manila following a sold out concert at a different venue, The Mall of Asia Arena. There is no word on when he will be allowed to leave the country.
