67 Congressmen to block extradition of Mark Jimenez

A group of 67 congressmen belonging to various political parties is trying to block the request of the United States for the extradition of Manila Rep. Mario Crespo, better known as Mark Jimenez or "MJ."

The lawmakers filed Resolution 762 yesterday apparently in anticipation of a Supreme Court decision which they expect could adversely affect Jimenez’s extradition case and pave the way for the congressman’s return to the US.

In their resolution, the House members said Jimenez is a duly elected representative of the sixth district of Manila.

Resolution 762 is principally authored by Representatives Rolex Suplico (LDP, Iloilo), Prospero Pichay Jr. (Lakas, Surigao del Sur) and Willie Buyson Villarama (Aksyon Demokratiko, Bulacan).

Its co-authors include Deputy Speaker Gerry Salapuddin, Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales and Minority Leader Carlos Padilla.

If he will be extradited to the US to face charges that include fraud and illegal election campaign contributions, the people of his district would be deprived of their representative in Congress, they said.

They said the actions of the Department of Justice in relation to the US government’s extradition request border "on violation of the principle of separation of powers between the executive and legislative departments of our government."

They urged the House to protect Jimenez, he being "a duly elected and an incumbent member" of the chamber.

In the past, there have been instances when Congress and the judiciary collided on certain cases involving lawmakers.

In the recent cases of former Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago and former Rep. Ceferino Paredes, the legislature refused to carry out separate arrest orders issued against the two.

Lawmakers insisted that it was only they who could discipline their own through their committees on ethics.

In a related development, barangay chairmen from Jimenez’s district urged the House to protect the tenure of office of their representative.

"It is clear that Representative Jimenez was the one anointed by our district for a term of three years, or until July 2004. Our collective vote should be respected," the village officials said in a petition addressed to Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.

They said their district and the people of Manila in general would lose their voice in Congress if Jimenez were extradited to the US.

"His administration has been marked by prompt action on the problems of our district," they added.

They lamented that despite the fact that Jimenez is their elected representative, there is apparently a conspiracy to return him to the US and "do grave damage to our district."