Nani, 3 others arraigned May 5

MANILA, Philippines – The Sandiganbayan second division has set on May 5 the arraignment of former justice secretary Hernando Perez, his wife, and two others for robbery in connection with the allegation of extortion raised against them by former Manila congressman Mark Jimenez.

The second division, chaired by Justice Edilberto Sandoval, ordered the accused yesterday to appear before the court at 1:30 p.m. to submit their respective pleas on charges of violation of Article 294 of the Revised Penal Code. Members of the second division are Associate Justices Teresita Diaz-Baldos and Samuel Martires.

Perez’s co-accused are his wife Rosario, brother-in-law Ramon Arceo, and business associate Ernest Escaler.

The second division set the arraignment shortly after the Perez couple posted bail at the Batangas City Regional Trial Court. Perez hails from Batangas, where he also served as congressman.

Perez and his wife paid a total of P308,000 bond for all four cases filed against them, according to abs-cbn.com.

The former justice chief has a pending appeal for the Supreme Court to stop the Sandiganbayan proceeding against him and his wife citing Jimenez’s withdrawal of his extortion complaint as well as the Ombudsman’s “abuse of discretion.”

Apart from robbery, Perez and his three co-accused are also facing charges for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act with the Sandiganbayan first division, which set the arraignment on May 16.

The former cabinet member is separately facing two other criminal charges with the anti-graft court’s third division for falsification of public documents and for grave misconduct.

The Sandiganbayan sheriff said the warrants of arrest for the accused would no longer be served since they have already posted bail.

Jimenez had accused Perez of receiving a $2-million bribe from him in February 2001 for the approval of the controversial $470-million IMPSA power plant deal.

The then newly installed Arroyo administration was reviewing the project which was signed by ousted President Joseph Estrada.

The falsification aspect of the case stemmed from Perez’s failure to disclose in his 2001 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth the amount of $1.7 million deposited in his and his wife’s bank accounts.

Not hiding

Perez denied he was in hiding saying he was working in his office in Batangas when he learned of the warrant of arrest issued last Tuesday by the Sandiganbayan for the case of falsification of public documents.

Perez showed up at the Batangas-Criminal Investigation and Detection Office Tuesday afternoon and met with CIDG regional director and Batangas-CIDG field commander Superintendent Archival Macala to dispel concerns that he was in hiding.

“He presented to us copies of orders of admission of bail bond approved by the Honorable Judge Ruben A Galvez, of regional trial court, Fourth Judicial Region, Branch 3, Batangas,” Senior Superintendent Christopher Laxa, CIDG regional director, told The STAR.

“I’m not hiding, I am working in my office in Batangas, once and for all, I decided to show-up to authorities, I know, the police are doing their job only, “ Laxa quoted Perez as saying.      – With Ed Amoroso