Lacson wants stiffer penalties for false witnesses
A bill seeking to impose heavier penalties on witnesses giving false testimony in any criminal case has been filed in the Senate.
Senate Bill 253 by Senator Panfilo Lacson seeks to amend Articles 180 (False testimony against a defendant), 183 (False testimony in other cases and perjury in solemn affirmation) and 184 (Offering false testimony in evidence) of the Revised Penal Code.
Under the bill, any person who would give false testimony in any criminal case would suffer the same penalty for the crime the defendant is accused of.
A public officer or employee who orders such false testimony may also suffer, under the bill, such penalty in its maximum period, along with a fine of up to P1 million, and perpetual absolute disqualification from holding any government position.
In filing the bill, Lacson lamented how false testimony and sworn statements were being used to support malicious complaints to harass and persecute innocent people.
“This pernicious practice is aimed not only to harass innocent persons but also to put them behind bars and make their families suffer,” he said in the bill.
“It is noteworthy that because of these untruthful and inconsistent statements, we have witnessed how some men were robbed of their youth and freedom for a long period of time only to be freed later on account that the reason for their incarceration was based on a ‘polluted source,’” the senator added.
Worse, Lacson said, some of those who “encourage, induce or even force a person to assert falsehood under oath” are public officials and employees – with some public prosecutors suppressing facts and concealing witnesses who can vouch for an accused’s innocence./rga
