FORMER Manila Rep. Mark Jimenez, foreign
bankers, and an official of Hong Kong’s Department of Justice
are among the 20 possible witnesses against former Justice
Secretary Hernando "Nani" Perez’s in the case of falsification
of public documents.
In a pre-trial brief submitted last July 3 to
the Sandiganbayan Third Division, prosecutors also listed bank
records and communications between graft investigators and Swiss
banking authorities to establish the paper trail of the $1.7
million that reportedly went to Perez but was not declared in
his 2001 statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).
Among the more prominent foreign witnesses in
the prosecution lineup are Wayne Patrick Walsh, chief of the
Mutual Legal Assistance Unit of Hong Kong’s Department of
Justice; Wendy Lee Wing Tak, manager of Coutts Bank’s Regulatory
Risk; Lise Favre of the Embassy of Switzerland; Swiss Federal
attorney Coquiz Christian; and Vladimir Stemberger, vice
president and legal counsel for EFG Private Bank in Lausanne,
Switzerland.
Prosecutors seek to prove that the $1.7
million was Perez’s share in the $2 million that he allegedly
extorted from Jimenez in 2001. Through records of various bank
transactions, they are hoping to establish how the money million
was transferred through different bank accounts in the name of
Perez’ wife Rosario, his brother-in-law Ramon Arceo and
businessman-friend Ernest Escaler.
Prosecutors have initially listed 97 pieces
of documents they will be presenting in court, including a
confirmation of credit in the amount of $1,995,965 remitted from
the Trade and Commerce Bank of Cayman Islands followed by a
deposit record dated Feb. 26, 2001 of $1,999,965 in relation to
account number H013706 in the name of Escaler.
There was also a withdrawal slip from H013706
for $1 million dated March 5, 2001; smaller withdrawals in
April; a $700,000 withdrawn on May 23, 2001; and two others for
$200,000 and $250,000 on the same day.
Based on a single-page customer instruction
letter dated March 5, 2001 the $1 million was transferred to EFG
Private Bank in Zurich followed by a $700,000 deposit on May 22,
2001. Also listed was a bank draft for $250,000 issued to Arceo
on May 23, 2001 and the complaint-affidavit of Jimenez. –
Peter J.G. Tabingo
