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Monday, December 19, 2005
Ex-congressman Mark Jimenez back in RP
MANILA -- A former congressman returned home Sunday after serving a two-year jail term in the United States for tax evasion and illegal campaign contributions to former US President Bill Clinton.
Former Manila congressman Mark Jimenez, an influential businessman who once served as an adviser to ousted president Joseph Estrada, said he wanted to rejoin his family and he did not indicate if he would re-enter the political arena amid a months-long crisis haunting President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Since June, Arroyo has faced calls for her resignation over allegations she rigged last year's elections and her husband and son's alleged links to corruption-charges she has repeatedly denied.
Jimenez had been regarded as a political backroom operator under Estrada and could become an important player in the current crisis with his wealth and political connections.
Puzzled
Asked by a reporter if he would support Arroyo, Jimenez replied: "You should pose that question to the whole country."
Jimenez said he was puzzled why Filipinos elected a vice president, popular TV news anchorman Noli de Castro, when it appears that some of them oppose the prospect of him taking power if Arroyo steps down or is ousted.
False info
Jimenez used money from his Miami computer parts company and a closely related one to reimburse employees for illegal donations to Clinton and other Democrats, according to federal prosecutors. He made about US$41,500 in illegal contributions and caused false information to be submitted to the Federal Election Commission, the Justice Department charged.
Besides his conspiracy plea, he admitted two tax charges for using an Uruguayan company to funnel a tax-free US$5 million out of the United States.
Jimenez was sentenced to 2 years and 3 months in US federal prison and ordered to pay US$1.2 million restitution on his guilty plea to election conspiracy and tax evasion charges.
Jimenez returned to the Philippines after Clinton was caught up in fundraising scandals. He was elected to the Philippine Congress, but was ousted after his extradition to face the US charges. (AP)
(December 19, 2005 issue)
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