JDV: MJ dropped from rolls tomorrow

Speaker Jose de Venecia directed yesterday the secretary general of the House of Representatives to strike out the name of Mark Jimenez from the roster of congressmen.

De Venecia said he will order the name of the congressman from Manila’s sixth district stricken from the rolls after a Florida district court convicted him of election fraud and sentenced him to more than two years in prison.

"We commiserate with him but we have to follow the law, it’s very clear Jimenez can no longer discharge his responsibilities because of his prison term," de Venecia said.

Malacañang, on the other hand, lended a sympathetic ear to Jimenez and said the government will do everything it can to protect the former Manila lawmaker.

"Congressman Mark Jimenez is of course a Filipino and we’re saddened that was the result of that and perhaps, it is appropriate that all the protection that we are giving to a countryman who is in the same situation should be extended (to Jimenez)," Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said.

Bunye said the Philippine government will move "to mitigate" the effect of his sentence by the Florida court but did not elaborate.

The conciliatory statement from Bunye came after President Arroyo renewed her reconciliation effort with her political foes.

The 56-year old Jimenez, a known crony of deposed President Joseph Estrada, bitterly fought his extradition to the US.

Jimenez voluntarily returned to the US Dec. 26 last year to face charges of tax evasion, mail fraud and illegal campaign contributions before a southern district court of Miami.

The court allowed Jimenez to be placed under house arrest after posting the $500,000 bond required by Judge Ted Banostra.

Jimenez, who pleaded guilty to election conspiracy and tax evasion charges, was later convicted of the charges and was also ordered to pay $1.2 million in restitution by the court.

US prosecutors said Jimenez made about $41,500 in illegal contributions and caused false information to be submitted to the Federal Election Commission. US law forbids foreigners from making contributions to elections campaigns.

Shortly after the US court handed down the judgment Thursday, Jimenez said he was expecting his conviction.

De Venecia, on the other hand, said the removal of Jimenez from the House roster can now be implemented since there is a final judgment.

Jimenez was unseated by the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) last March. The tribunal ordered De Venecia to strip the Manila congressman of his privileges after he had failed to establish the required one-year residency.

Jimenez later appealed the decision before the Supreme Court, which has yet to hand down its ruling over the issue.

"What we have done is to wait for the decision of the Supreme Court, which ever came first," De Venecia said.

The House leader, however, assured Jimenez that his constants in Manila will be taken cared of.

Under the rules, if a House member is unseated upon order of the HRET or whose conviction is affirmed by the Supreme Court, the Speaker will act as caretaker of his or her congressional district.

"We will see to it that his (Jimenez’s) constituents will receive the public works entitlement for the Manila’s sixth district," De Venecia said.

Following his conviction in Florida, Jimenez told a radio dzMM in Manila Friday that he remains as representative of the sixth district of Manila until the Supreme Court hands down its ruling on the issue.

He said the decision of the HRET disqualifying him is still being questioned before the Supreme Court which has yet to rule over the issue.

Jimenez said the HRET decision cannot be implemented since the constitution specifically stated that a public official can only be removed on a final judgment.

"I still represent my district," Jimenez said. "I still get my salary and my staff continue to provide the necessary services in my district."

Bulacan Rep. Willie Buyson Villarama said Jimenez will still be respected by his constituents despite his conviction.

"He has a soft heart for philantrophy and noble causes. it is partly for this reason that he suffered (the same) fate in the US," he said. -With Marichu Villanueva