Bizwoman in trouble for false testimony against prosecutor

Perjury charges were filed in court against a businesswoman who questioned the monthly allowances received by Regional State Prosecutor Fernando Gubalane from the local government units (LGUs).

The Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office found probable cause to indict Brenda Tan for deliberately giving false and misleading testimony under oath.

Bail was recommended at P6,000.

Tan requested Judge Pamela Baring-Uy of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 6 in Cebu City to hold in abeyance the issuance of a warrant of arrest against her.

She said the charges filed by the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office were elevated to the trial court “haste” since she was not even given a chance to contest the ruling.

“I still have a lot of arguments to prove that this case is wanting in probable cause. It is most respectfully prayed, in the paramount interest of justice, that this motion be given due course and that the case be remanded to the Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office,” Tan said in her pleading.

Tan executed and signed a sworn declaration against Gubalane before the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas.

In her sworn statement, she accused Gubalane of committing corruption for demanding allowances from the cities of Bogo and Danao, and the Witness Protection Program (WPP) of the Department of Justice (DOJ), among others.

However, Assistant City Prosecutor Jose Nathaniel Andal, who recommended the filing of perjury charges against Tan, said Gubalane had not been receiving any stipend from either the cities of Bogo and Danao, and the WPP as shown by the certifications from the respective offices.

“There is, therefore, reasonable ground to believe that respondent (Tan) made a deliberate assertion of falsehood in the questioned affidavit,” Andal said in his resolution.

His findings were approved by Cebu City Prosecutor Nicolas Sellon.

Tan earlier claimed that Gubalane received P72,400—more than lawfully allowed—from LGUs.

Tan said he should be receiving slightly more than P30,000.

Gubalane said he was receiving a monthly stipend of P34,000 from four LGUs in Cebu.

These include P12,000 from Cebu City; P12,500 from the Cebu provincial government; P6,000 from Mandaue City; and P3,500 from Talisay City.

Contrary to Tan ’s allegations, Gubalane said he didn’t receive allowances from the cities of Danao and Bogo. /Ador Vincent S. Mayol