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Saturday, November 27, 2004
Accuser recants rape charge v. Arroyo aide
MANILA -- A woman who accused presidential political adviser Gabriel Claudio of rape recanted her accusation against the Malacaņang official and said she was just paid P10,000 to destroy the reputation of the Palace executive.
Claudio welcomed the development, which he described as a vindication.
Recheil Trogon, 23, of Barangay Catmon, Malabon City, went to National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief Avelino Razon Jr. and revealed how she, a former official of the Estrada administration and a reporter hatched a plan to destroy Claudio.
Trogon used the name Lailani Manansala when she sued Claudio before the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office last November 17.
She identified Jimmy Policarpio, presidential legislative liaison officer during the administration of President Estrada, and Benjamin de Peralta, a writer of a still unknown newspaper, as those who hatched the plan.
She was with her lawyer, Leonora Villarante of the Public Attorney's Office (PAO), when she issued a statement to police authorities last Thursday.
Trogon said she had to come out and turn herself in to police after she claimed to have received successive threats on her life.
Razon said he would look into the matter.
In her sworn statement, Trogon said she never met Claudio in person and the reason why she agreed to carry out the plan of Policarpio and de Peralta because of the P10,000 given to her.
She said de Peralta was the one taught and ordered her how to fabricate charges against Claudio.
Trogon narrated that she met de Peralta and a woman who she identified as Josephine Basiar in Quezon City. De Peralta briefed her how to file the rape case against Claudio, she said.
She said de Peralta first brought her to the Chinese General Hospital last November 4 to undergo examination, which would be used to build up the case against Claudio.
She was also accompanied by de Peralta and a certain Nash when she filed the charges before the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office. A prosecutor there made the charge sheet for her, she said.
She said she learned about Policarpio's involvement in the plan from Nash during their conversation. According to Trogon, Nash told her that Policarpio was the mastermind.
Trogon earlier claimed that Claudio raped her after she refused to have sex with him in a house in Fairview, Quezon City last October 15. Claudio strongly denied the accusation.
The secretary said he was in a meeting in Malacaņang on that day the supposed rape incident took place and that he has never met Trogon.
At the Palace, Claudio said the turnaround of his accuser only showed that there is a "malicious and dastardly plot to smear my good name".
He, however, refused to say if he believes the latest claim of the accuser particularly about the alleged involvement of some political figures. He added he would not speculate although "you know what my job entails and the role I've played in the present administration and the administration of President (Fidel) Ramos."
Claudio said he would just leave it to his legal team led by lawyer Katrina Legarda.
"I thank God for the swift vindication he has given me using as his instrument the efficiency of our law enforcement authorities. I also wish to thank the many friends and supporters who have shared in my anguish and burden the past few days," Claudio said.
"I am leaving it to the authorities to validate her account and my lawyers to ensure that the guilty are brought to justice and are prevented from persecuting other innocent parties, which is crucial to prevent the harassment of those of us in public service whose personal and family honor are our most precious possession," he added.
Asked if he is open to meeting Policarpio to clear things up, Claudio said "under the circumstances, it is better that these things are left to the proper judicial process and since a particular name is mentioned, we should leave it to the authorities to handle this particular matter insofar as ascertaining the identity or the veracity of the names that have been mentioned." (JFF/JMR)
(November 27, 2004 issue)
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