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Tuesday, August 20, 2002
Ping's fate left to next Ombud, says Perez
JUSTICE Secretary Hernando B. Perez Monday said it will be up to the successor of former Ombudsman Aniano A. Desierto to decide on the fate of opposition senator Panfilo M. Lacson in connection with the perjury charges filed against him for a "deliberate failure" in declaring his true net worth.
"This is the first. And actually I don't want to preempt how the ombudsman will act on the subject or how to consider the evidence presented. I will rather leave it to (the)ombudsman to decide," Perez told reporters in a press briefing yesterday.
Perez said it will be the first time that the freshly minted Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty(MLAT) would be utilized for an indictment and added he does not know whether the court would require the US agents who collated the alleged evidence against Lacson to testify here.
"It all depends on the ombudsman. That will put me on the spot because if I say there isno need when there is a need... it will be up to the ombudsman," Perez said when asked whether US bankers or officials maybe compelled to testify before Philippine courts in case the charges against Lacson are filed by the Ombudsman.
Perez claimed that the evidence maybe admissible despite occurring from a foreign government.
"Yes.... These are official docs coming from a foreign govt. and aside from that additional evidence will have to be submitted."
"From the report given to me by (NBI) Director Reynaldo G Wycoco I think it's prettystrong, especially the perjury case." Perez said.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) earlier charged Lacson and his wife Alice before the Office of the Ombudsman with four counts of violation of Rep. Act No. 6713 for the alleged non-filing of statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) for the years 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2000.
Lacson, the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief during the Estrada administration, was also charged with perjury for alleged failure to include in his 1996 SALN some $ 16,695.03 he allegedly maintained in the United States. |
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