DOJ: MJ’s US trial to last 4 months

Manila Rep. Mark Jimenez’s US trial may last at least four months, preventing him from returning to the Philippines until May, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said yesterday.

Acting Justice Secretary Merceditas Gutierrez told reporters she was informed by Federal Bureau of Investigation legal attaché James Nixon that it may take some time before Jimenez can perform his legislative functions and attend to his constituents in the sixth district of Manila.

"It will be a minimum of four months because there are hearings scheduled in February, March, and so on. And I think this is on all 47 counts on which he was charged. I don’t see any possibility of (Jimenez returning home soon). This is according to the US Embassy," she said.

Gutierrez added that Jimenez still has to "wait for the decision of the court" which will definitely "take some time."

She said that it was unfair for some to claim that it was very ironic for Jimenez to be granted bail in the US while he was denied this in his home country, pointing out that his extradition case here was an "entirely different" proceeding from the petty crimes he was charged with in the US.

"It’s just regular criminal proceedings there. His case here was for extradition. That’s why he was asked to go there to prove his innocence because he is being tried there for the offense (of) which he was accused," Gutierrez said, citing simple estafa cases in the Philippines where the accused is allowed to post bail.

She claimed that it will not be easy for Jimenez to post the required $500,000 (about P26.5 million) in bail because he has to prove the money came from legitimate sources.

"I was told that when you are ordered to put up that amount, you have to show proof that it’s clean money," Gutierrez said.

Once Jimenez posts bail, he will be placed under house arrest and will have to wear a bracelet-type electronic monitoring system, she said.

The bracelet — like the one worn by gambler Charlie "Atong" Ang, one of deposed President Estrada’s allies — will prevent him from jumping bail by monitoring his movements, which will be limited to within a specific area in southern Florida.

"He will not be allowed to leave a specific area. It’s a thick bracelet which cannot be removed. If he leaves the place, then he will have to seek permission from federal agents. Atong Ang will also be wearing the same metal gadget," Gutierrez said.

Malacañang, on the other hand, expressed satisfaction that the Miami federal court accorded Jimenez legal rights due him as an accused.

"We leave this to the US courts. But we are happy to note that our countryman was given bail in accordance (with) the legal process in the US," Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said.

Bunye reacted to reports reaching Manila that Jimenez was granted bail after the latter spent his birthday and New Year’s Day inside a federal jail.

According to Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay, one of two congressmen keeping Jimenez company in Florida, Miami court Judge Theodore Bandstra approved the petition of their colleague’s lawyer to free him and set bail conditions that will likely keep Jimenez in federal detention for a few more days.

Of the $500,000 bail, $300,000 will be in the form of surety or corporate bond, and $200,000 will be in cash.

Of the cash portion, 10 percent or $20,000 should be paid immediately, Pichay said. Jimenez’s arraignment is set on Jan. 13.

Pichay said the judge restricted Jimenez to the area of South Florida, required him to stay with a non-relative, asked him to surrender his travel documents to the court, and ordered that the electronic monitoring gadget be put on him.

The US government had accused Jimenez of using corporate money to reimburse employees for illegal donations to former President Bill Clinton and other candidates. Donors were employees of Future Tech International Inc., a Miami computer parts distribution business owned by Jimenez, and Mark Vision Computer, another Miami company owned by a relative.

Jimenez was accused of illegally routing $50,000 to the Democratic National Committee and $33,500 in donations to campaign committees.

The indictment also charged Jimenez with corporate fraud and tax evasion linked to personal business dealings unrelated to the fund-raising allegations. He is accused of defrauding the IRS by taking business deductions for personal expenses and political contributions made with money from Future Tech.

From 1994 to 1996, the money went to Clinton, US Senators Edward Kennedy and Robert Torricelli, US Senate candidates Roger Bedford in Alabama and Thomas Strickland in Colorado, and US House candidate Ann Henry in Arkansa, the indictment said.

Jimenez is barred from legally contributing to American political candidates because is a Filipino citizen. — Delon Porcalla, Marichu Villanueva