Mark Jimenez asked to testify vs Nani Perez

MANILA, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman has requested the Sandiganbayan Third Division to issue a subpoena on former Manila Rep. Mark Jimenez to testify in the trial of former Justice Secretary Hernando Perez for falsification of public/official documents.

Assistant Special Prosecutor III Lalaine D. Benitez informed the graft court that the prosecution will present Jimenez’s testimony on September 18 and 20 concerning the source of the US$1.7 million foreign bank deposits that Perez allegedly failed to disclose in his 2001 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).
 
According to the criminal information filed in April 2008, Perez and his wife Rosario owned account numbers 338-118 and 348-118 both with European Financial Group (EFG) Private Bank SA, which held the dollar deposits.
 
Graft investigators said that as a Cabinet official, Perez was legally bound to disclose the bank assets in his SALN.
 
The case stemmed from Jimenez’s complaint filed with the Ombudsman accusing Perez of extorting $2 million from him supposedly in exchange for not being named a co-defendant in the Estrada plunder case.

Last of the charges
 
This is the last of the 4 criminal charges originally filed against Perez in 2008 in connection with Jimenez’s allegations after the other charges were thrown out by the court.
 
On Nov 25, 2008, the First and Second Divisions junked extortion and graft charges against Perez, his wife, brother-in-law Ramon Arceo and business associate Ernest Escaler.
 
The First Division cited lack of evidence to support the allegations while the Second Division held that the Ombudsman violated the defendants’ right to speedy disposition of their cases due to inordinate delay in the investigation which took almost five years.
 
In a separate resolution on June 22, 2011, the Third Division also junked a case against Perez for supposed violation of RA 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Government Officials and Employees also for non-declaration of the $1.7 million bank deposits.
 
The court held that Perez may no longer be lawfully tried on the said charge since he was already indicted for a similar offense under the Revised Penal Code which carries a heavier penalty of prision mayor or imprisonment for six years and one day to 12 years. – Rappler.com