Protect MJ, Manileños urge Congress

Residents of Manila’s sixth district of Manila are threatening to launch mass actions to protest what they perceive as a concerted effort by some groups to remove their congressman from office.

Officials of different barangays in the district said they are set to make an appeal to Congress to protect the right of Rep. Marcial Crespo, more popularly known as Mark Jimenez.

Barangay chairmen Francisco Blanco, Josephat Ramos, Paula Paug, and Ruben Allegrado all said there is now a groundswell of suppport from among their constituents in the district to protest against a pending motion in the Supreme Court by the Department of Justice to revoke Jimenez’s right to post bail.

Jimenez is a subject of an extradition request by the United States for his alleged involvement in making illegal campaign contributions to former US President Bill Clinton. He is also being sought in the US for alleged tax evasion.

However, Jimenez was granted bail by Manila Regional Trial Court Judge Guillermo Purganan pending the resolution of the extradition case filed against him.

The barangay officials said majority, if not all, of the district’s barangay chairmen are set to submit today an urgent appeal to House Speaker Jose de Venecia and to the House committees on foreign and justice to safeguard Jimenez’s continued tenure as their congressman.

"We are conveying to Congress what the people of our district thinks. They are clamoring for Congressman Jimenez to stay as their representative," said the barangay officials.

They said they expect their urgent appeal would ease the growing tension in their district.

"An adverse Supreme Court decision would affect not only Congressman Jimenez, but also all of us in the district. There are many good programs and projects which he has introduced for our people and he must be allowed to perform his constitutional role as our representative," the officials said.