DOJ lifts watchlist order on ‘MJ’ kids

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez directed the Bureau of Immigration to lift the watchlist order it had earlier issued on the children of former Manila Rep. Mark Jimenez.

In a memorandum to Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan dated May 25, Gonzalez ordered the immediate lifting of the watchlist order earlier issued against Myla Cristina Crespo Villanueva, Marcel Louis Pansacola Crespo and Virgilio Amadeo Pansacola Crespo “unless they are being accused or held for some other charges.”

“This refers to the attached letter dated May 24, 2007 of Myla Cristina Crespo Villanueva et al requesting for the lifting of the watchlist order earlier issued against them in connection with the complaint for estafa filed against them before the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office, for the reason that respondents are business people who need to travel abroad to attend to their business thereat,” the memo read.

“It appearing that until date, no hold departure order has been issued by any competent court to hold respondents travel and in deference to their constitutional right to travel you are hereby directed to lift the watchlist order earlier issued,” the memo added.

Last May 22, Mark Jimenez filed estafa charges against his three children and a son-in-law for allegedly conspiring to sell his shares in a local telecommunications firm without his permission while he was in prison in the United States.

In his six-page affidavit complaint for estafa through falsification lodged with the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office, Jimenez through his lawyer Edgardo Francisco, accused his children Marcel Crespo, Virgilio Crespo and Myla Crespo-Villanueva of malversing more than $ 45 million worth of shares in Meridian Telekoms which he bought from Victor “Vic-Vic” Villavicencio in 1999 for P14 million.

Myla’s husband, Generoso Villanueva, was also included in the estafa charges filed by Jimenez.

Following the filing of the case, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez ordered Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan to include Marcel Crespo, Virgilio Crespo and Myla Villanueva in the bureau’s watchlist.  – Mike Frialde