Perjury raps eyed vs Lascañas, says Lacson

A Senate panel is to recommend the filing of a perjury case against retired SPO3 Arturo Lascañas when Congress resumes its sessions on May 2, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Monday.

Lacson is chair of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs that conducted one hearing on Lascañas’ public confession where he claimed the existence of the so-called Davao Death Squad (DDS).

“We are drafting the committee report on that one hearing held by the public order and illegal drugs committee and will be reported out in the plenary after we resume session on May 2,” the senator said in a text message.

Asked if the committee had any recommendation against Lascañas, Lacson said the panel had “nothing much to add” on his opening statement when it conducted the hearing on March 6.

READ: Lascañas told: Aside from testimony, provide evidence vs Duterte

Pressed if the committee would recommend specific charges against the confessed DDS leader, the senator said: “Perjury obviously.”

Lascañas denied the existence of the DDS when he first testified in October last year before the Senate committees on justice and human rights, and public order and dangerous that investigated the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country.

But in a press conference at the Senate facilitated by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV last February 20, the retired police officer retracted his testimony and claimed that the DDS existed. He also accused then Davao Mayor and now President Rodrigo Duterte of paying DDS members to kill criminals and enemies.

On Trillanes’ motion on the floor, Lacson’s committee conducted a separate probe on Lascañas’ public confession.

In his opening statement, Lacson advised Lascañas to present evidence other than his testimony. An exception to this rule is when there is conspiracy.

“Ang maipapayo ko lamang kay SPO3 Lascañas, kung ang layunin ng iyong “extra-judicial confession” ay mapanagot sa ilalim ng batas si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte at iba pang personalidad, marapat lamang na maliban sa iyong salaysay, may maipakita ka pang bukod at ibang ebidensya,” he said.

(I advise SPO3 Lascañas that if the objective of your “extra-judicial confession” is to hold Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte and other personalities accountable under the law, you should provide evidence aside from your testimony)

“Kung wala ay maaring masayang lamang ang oras ng mga tao dito dahil baka walang kahihinathan ang isinasagawa nating pagdinig sa araw na ito laban sa sinumang mga taong idinadawit mo,” the senator added.

(If not, our time might just be wasted because our hearing might not bear anything against the personalities you would link.) ­CBB/rga