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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Ragos facing perjury case for false testimony—DOJ

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Former National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) deputy director Rafael M. Ragos may face prosecution for perjury for executing false testimonies, a Department of Justice official said Sunday.

Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento said that Ragos’ recantation of his earlier testimony against former senator Leila M. de Lima led to her acquittal in the case involving illegal drugs, but his retraction would pave the way for charging him with perjury case.

Court records showed that De Lima and her bodyguard Ronnie P. Dayanwere accused of receiving, on two occasions, a total of P10 million as proceeds from the illegal drugs trading at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City when the former was justice secretary.

Ragos had testified that he delivered the money in 2012 when he was officer-in-charge of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor). He later recanted his testimony against De Lima and Dayan.

The recantation paved the way for the acquittal of both De Lima and Dayan of the second criminal case filed against them.

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The decision stated that “the testimony of witness Ragos is necessary to sustain any possible conviction,” said Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Abraham Joseph B. Alcantara.

“Ultimately, the retraction created doubt which warrants the acquittal of both accused,” the judge ruled.

Malcontento said that Ragos swore to the truthfulness of his testimony against De Lima and was even warned that he could be charged with perjury if this was found to be false.

On the filing of a perjury case against Ragos, Malcontento said:

“That’s a possibility, but we have to wait for directions of OSEC (Office of the Secretary).”

According to Prosecutor General, the decision to charge Ragos with perjury will come from Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla.

With her acquittal on her second drugs case, De Lima is now battling for her exoneration in the third case pending before Branch 256 of the Muntinlupa City RTC.

She had filed a motion to post bail, which is still pending resolution.

In the three cases, De Lima was charged with violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act due to the alleged proliferation of illegal drug trading at the NBP.

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