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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider VACC set to file perjury case vs ex-BuCor OIC Ragos on recanted testimonies -- DOJ

VACC set to file perjury case vs ex-BuCor OIC Ragos on recanted testimonies -- DOJ

Published May 3, 2022 03:25 pm

Department of Justice

Former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Officer-in-Charge Rafael Marcos Z. Ragos will be charged with perjury on the recantation of his testimonies on the drugs charges filed against detained Sen. Leila M. De Lima when she was the secretary of justice.

Department of Justice (DOJ) Prosecutor General Benedicto A. Malcontento said on Tuesday, May 3, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) is already preparing the charges against Ragos.

In an interview over CNN Philippines, Malcontento said: “In so far as the DOJ is concerned, we will just wait if these charges are filed or any entity would file against them and we would just have to decide accordingly.”

Also, Malcontento said the DOJ would welcome an initiative from the Office of the Ombudsman to conduct, motu proprio (on its own), an investigation on the claims of Ragos that he was coerced by former DOJ officials, incumbent National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) officials and DOJ prosecutors into testifying against De Lima.

“If they will exercise their motu proprio powers, it will be good for us because the subject matter of the investigation and the persons involved are former officials of the Department of Justice and some are current members of the prosecution panel,” he said.

Ragos was also former deputy director for intelligence of the NBI before his assignment at BuCor.

Malcontento reiterated the statement of Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra who had said that on the coercion allegations, “given the personalities involved it is best addressed by the Office of the Ombudsman.”

He stressed that the Ragos’ recantation of his testimonies will not affect the drug charges against De Lima under Criminal Case Nos. 17-165 and 17-167 which are pending before the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court (RTC).

“We are not solely relying on the testimony of Ragos who is not our star witness in the cases,” he said.

Earlier, Guevarra said the DOJ may file a perjury case against self-confessed drug lord Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa who also recanted his testimonies against De Lima.

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