Posted on 01/02/2003 11:18:06 AM PST by jedi150
House arrest for lawmaker extradited to US
MIAMI: A Philippine lawmaker accused of tax evasion and making illegal campaign contributions to US politicians can post bail but will be under 24-hour house arrest in Florida until trial, a US judge ruled on Tuesday.
Despite arguments from US prosecutors that Mark Jimenez should be kept in jail because he might flee and “cannot be trusted,” US Magistrate Ted Bandstra set a series of conditions meant to allow the congressman to be freed but keep him on a tight leash.
Jimenez, who turned 56 on Tuesday, arrived in Miami on Sunday to face charges that he made illegal contributions to the campaign of former US President Bill Clinton and other Democratic politicians, as well as fraud, tax evasion and other offences.
“Your birthday will have to be in court today,” Bandstra said after setting bond conditions that will likely keep Jimenez in a federal detention centre for a few more days.
Jimenez, a member of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's ruling coalition, shuffled into the Miami federal courtroom dressed in olive prison garb, shackled at the ankles and handcuffed to another prisoner.
Bandstra ordered Jimenez to post a $300,000 (RM114,0000) corporate surety bond backed by US assets, a $200,000 (RM76,0000) bond co-signed by six of his relatives and live in south Florida with a relative under 24-hour house arrest until trial.
He also ordered Jimenez to surrender travel documents and said he could leave the house only to meet lawyers, could not travel outside south Florida and had to post a document waiving extradition rights in any other country.
The Philippine Supreme Court paved the way for Jimenez to be returned to the United States with a September ruling in which it said the country should not be a haven for fugitives. Jimenez fought a government move to extradite him to face the US charges.
Jimenez, who was elected 17 months ago to a three-year congressional term, was an adviser to former president Joseph Estrada when the US government sought his extradition in 1999 on allegations that he used employees of two Florida companies to rout illegal contributions to Clinton and other Democrats. He has denied the charges.
Prosecutors had asked Bandstra to order him held without bail, saying he had lots of money and few ties to the United States. – Reuters
Another perspective from The Philippine Daily Inquirer, a partner of Asia News Network.
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.