Jinggoy seeks punishment for lying witnesses

MANILA, Philippines - Detained Sen. Jinggoy Estrada has proposed a measure that aims to penalize some unscrupulous individuals who put out baseless and malicious accusations against other people before various forums and the media.

The lawmaker, currently detained in Camp Crame for plunder charges in relation to the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam, filed Senate Bill 2573 on Monday, which aims to amend Article 180 of the Revised Penal Code and impose heavier penalty for lying witnesses.

The filing of the resolution came on the heels of the testimonies of whistle-blowers Benhur Luy and Ruby Tuason, who are testifying against Estrada.

Under current laws, the penalty for witnesses fabricating their testimonies would depend on the sentence imposed against the person to whom the false testimony was given.

“For instance, if a witness testifies falsely against the accused charged with homicide, and such accused is convicted and sentenced to reclusion temporal (minimum of 12 years imprisonment) and the witness was later found to be lying and was in turn prosecuted and convicted, the penalty imposable to such lying witness is only prision mayor (minimum of six years imprisonment),” the bill read.

“This is grossly unfair to the accused falsely convicted as a result of a witness’ false testimony,” it added.

The proposed bill provides that if the defendant is acquitted, the lying witness shall suffer the penalty imposable upon the defendant if he would have been convicted.

“The bill is in no way intended to silence or intimidate witnesses who seek to expose anomalies in the government. In fact, I support them through the passage of a comprehensive Whistle-blower Protection Act,” Estrada said.

Estrada authored Senate Bill 1286, which guarantees security and benefits for whistle-blowers.

“But while we pursue transparency and accountability in our government, we must ensure that this crusade does not lead to mere besmirching reputations, assassinating characters and destroying one’s honor through fabrication of stories and exposition of tall tales just like what Luy and Tuason did in relation to the pork barrel scam,” he added.