MANILA, Philippines — While they don’t always see eye to eye, detained Sen. Leila de Lima on Sunday agreed with Sen. Panfilo “Ping”Lacson that public officials found guilty of lying under oath should be permanently barred from government service.
In supporting a proposed measure filed by Lacson in the Senate, De Lima said meting out stiffer penalties against individuals who provided false testimonies before the courts and other investigation bodies was just appropriate.
The senator, who has been held in Camp Crame since she was indicted for drug trading in February 2017, said she, herself, was a victim of fabricated testimonies of “perjured witnesses who wantonly lie under oath.”
“If there’s anyone who really wants this bill to be enacted into law, that’s me,” De Lima said in a statement.
“My situation clearly showed that I’m a victim of patched-up lies of those who wanted to silence me and destroy my credibility,”she said.