Former Senate President Franklin Drilon on Tuesday, November 14 said that those who coerced witnesses into providing false testimony should be held accountable for the unjust imprisonment of former senator Leila De Lima.

Th former Senate leader said former justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre, and other individuals who hurled unfounded and fabricated charges against the former senator could be held accountable for the crime of subornation of perjury.

Aguirre, Drilon said, was implicated by Rafael Ragos, former corrections bureau chief, in coercing him into signing pre-written affidavits against De Lima, which falsely accused her of receiving bribes from drug lords at the national penitentiary.

“We are very happy that the rule of law has prevailed but who will answer for the sufferings of Leila De Lima for the last seven years because of invented and unwarranted charges?” Drilon pointed out.

“Sa akin dapat maparusahan kung sinoman ang gumawa nitong kaso na talagang lahat ay kasinungalingan (To me, those who were behind this case that was in the first place is all lies should be punished),” he pointed out

“Uulitin ko lang, hindi pwede na ganon na lang. Ang dapat ay may managot dito (They cannot just disregard everything. Somebody should be held accountable),” Drilon stressed.

In Hondrade v. Office of the Ombudsman (Visayas) (G.R. No. 226526), the Supreme Court ruled that subornation of perjury is committed by a person who knowingly and willfully procures another to swear falsely, and the witness suborned does testify or subscribe an affidavit under circumstances rendering him guilty of perjury.

Subornation of perjury is treated as perjury and the accused is punished under Article 183 in relation to Article 17, as principal by inducement.

“Ito po ay pagkakamali na (this is a crime) punishable under the Revised Penal Code, specifically subordination for perjury. Kapag pinilit mo ang isang testigo na magsinungaling para masampahan ng kaso ang isang tao (If you pressure a witness to lie in order to file a case against another person),” he explained.

The former Justice secretary said that while the recent development is a positive step towards justice, it should not be the end of the matter.

Th Supreme Court, he said, should investigate the seven-year delay in her case and thoroughly examine the procedures that led to the prosecution of De Lima.

“This is a positive sign but we must continue to improve our justice system. The De Lima case should prompt the Supreme Court to take a look at how this case was delayed as thousands of Filipinos have to deal with the sluggish pace of our justice system,” Drilon said.

Likewise, Drilon emphasized the significance of the court granting bail, pointing out that the denial of bail in a capital offense usually signifies strong evidence of guilt.

But in De Lima’s case, the grant of bail suggests that the evidence of guilt is weak, if not entirely lacking, he pointed out.