DND Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay, October 18, 2023. (Photo by INQUIRER.net / Arnel Tacson)
MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. is convinced the two environmental activists who recanted their sworn statements that they surrendered to the military are liable for perjury.
Teodoro made the statement after reviewing the cases.
He also confirmed that charges for perjury and grave scandal had been filed in Department of Justice against activists Jonila Castro and Jhed Tamano.
Castro and Tamano recently revealed they were allegedly abducted by soldiers.
They contradicted the statement of the military that both of them had surrendered.
“We have already filed charges against these two. We already filed them two weeks ago without media fanfare,” Teodoro said in a Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum.
“I said we will do it and we did it,” he recalled.
“Now, it’s up to the prosecutors already. They will be given due process,” he added.
Teodoro told reporters summons have been issued against Castro and Tamano.
“I was informed that subpoenas have already been issued against them for preliminary investigation for perjury and grave scandal,” he said.
“I reviewed the case personally and I am convinced that they were liable,” the defense secretary added.
Tamano and Castro, who went missing on September 2, was initially reported to have turned themselves in to Philippine Army’s 70th Infantry Battalion in Doña Remedios Trinidad town on September 12.
This story, however, was disputed by the activists who said they were only coerced to sign their sworn affidavits.
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