GMA: No plan to fire Nani

Did she or didn’t she?

President Arroyo denied yesterday that she promised Manila Rep. Mark Jimenez that she would soon fire embattled Justice Secretary Hernando Perez, accused by Jimenez of receiving a bribe from him.

In interviews yesterday, Jimenez said Mrs. Arroyo told him in a telephone conversation Tuesday that Perez – currently on a month-long medical leave – would soon be out of the Cabinet.

"He is on his way out," Jimenez quoted Mrs. Arroyo as saying.

"That’s not true," Mrs. Arroyo told the editors of The STAR over a luncheon she hosted at Malacañang when asked about Jimenez’s claim. She did not elaborate.

Perez, meanwhile, said that he would be back at the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Dec. 27 when his 30-day medical leave ends.

He dropped by the Department of Justice yesterday to attend a Christmas party of state prosecutors. When asked by reporters if he still enjoys the President’s trust, he said: "I think so."

He refused to comment on Jimenez’s claim that he would soon be out of the DOJ.

In a Nov. 25 privileged speech, Jimenez accused Perez of extorting $2 million from him and urged him to resign.

The money came from his Trade and Commerce Bank account in Uruguay, he said, then routed through Trade and Commerce Bank in the Cayman Islands and Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City before it ended up in an account allegedly owned by Perez in Coutts Bank in Hong Kong.

Perez denied the allegations, saying Jimenez was only trying to delay his impending extradition to the United States where he faces charges of making illegal campaign contributions to the Democratic Party, among other charges.

After Jimenez’s privilege speech, Perez shortly went on a month-long sick leave for bleeding ulcers, and put Justice Undersecretary Merceditas Gutierrez in charge.

He checked out of the hospital last Sunday but said he would check in again this week to have a gallstone removed.

Aside from the extortion allegation, Perez is also under fire from the political opposition for allegedly approving a controversial government contract awarded to Argentine power firm Industrias Metalurgicas Pescarmona Sociedad Anonima (Impsa) for the rehabilitation of a hydroelectric plant in Laguna province.