Posted on 11/23/2005 9:33:43 PM PST by HAL9000
AT LEAST two members of the House of Representatives are seeking "custody" of former Manila Representative Mark Jimenez from the United States amid reports his release from a federal prison and subsequent deportation to the Philippines had been delayed because of an "infraction" he allegedly committed while serving his 20-month jail term.Jimenez, whose real name is Mario Crespo, was originally scheduled for deportation last Tuesday but was not aboard the plane that was supposed to have flown him to Manila. Jimenez was jailed in Pennsylvania after being convicted of tax fraud and illegal campaign contributions.
A local television station reported last Tuesday that US prison authorities had decided to keep Jimenez in jail longer because of an unspecified infraction he allegedly committed.
US Embassy press attaché Matthew Lussenhop said yesterday that the embassy still had no information on Jimenez's failure to return to Manila as scheduled.
Affairs spokesperson Bert Asuque said the DFA was also still waiting for an official report from the Philippine Consulate in New York.
A family friend told the Inquirer that Jimenez's new arrival schedule would be sometime in December, before his birthday on the 31st.
Another close friend of Jimenez told the Inquirer that Manila Representative Jose Hizon had written Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo requesting him to make arrangements with the US to turn over Jimenez to him, Surigao del Sur Representative Prospero Pichay, ex-Bulacan representative Willie Villarama and Undersecretary Reynaldo Roquero of the presidential Office of Coalition Affairs.
Pichay confirmed that their group wants to go to the US to receive Jimenez from US authorities and escort him back to the country. Pichay and Villarama were among those who accompanied Jimenez to the US when he was extradited in 2003.
"If there will be arrangements for it, we want to get custody of him," Pichay told the Inquirer, adding he and his colleagues wanted to ensure there would be no hitches in the arrangements for Jimenez's return.
Pichay said he didn't expect Jimenez, who was handcuffed throughout the flight during his extradition in December 2002, to be subjected to similar inconveniences on his return.
"That was different because he was not convicted yet but now he's a free man," Pichay said.
Presidential political adviser Gabriel Claudio said he saw no problem with the plan of the congressmen to fetch Jimenez and escort him back to the country.
"That's understandable on the part of Congress, especially his former colleagues," Claudio said.
Ping.
Are they planning a ticker tape parade for him in Manila?
Mark Jimenez still in jail -- DFA
THE Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that former Manila congressman Mark Jimenez was still in jail in the US and will not be released until December 13.
DFA spokesperson Gilbert Asuque would not say why Jimenez’s release was “postponed.”
Asuque said that according to Cecilia Rebong, Philippine consul general in New York, Jimenez was still being held at the Allenwood Federal Correctional Institute in Pennsylvania.
Jimenez served a 20-month jail sentence in the US for tax fraud and illegal campaign contributions. He was scheduled to arrive in Manila last Tuesday.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.