Gordon threatens perjury raps vs BuCor exec
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Richard Gordon had repeatedly threatened an official of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) with perjury for lying before a Senate hearing.
Gordon is chairman of the Senate committee on justice leading the probe on the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) controversy.
At the start of the hearing on Thursday, National Bureau of Investigation Director Dante Gierran told the committee that their investigation confirmed the text exchanges between BuCor Officer 3 Veronica Buño and witness Yolanda Camilon.
Buño, in the past hearings, had repeatedly denied talking with Camilon, who earlier claimed to have paid P50,000 for the release of her husband, Godfrey Gamboa, from the New Bilibid Prison.
Camilon linked Buño and two other officials— BuCor records division head Ramoncito Roque and Senior Insp. Maribel Bansil—in the said payoff.
After hearing the NBI’s report, Gordon confronted Buño about the latter’s claim that she had never talked with Camilon.
“I invoke my right against self-incrimination,” Buño said.
When Gordon said it was already too late to invoke such right, Buño just insisted her erlier statement that she did not talk with Camilon.
“Nag uusap kayo sa text? Huwag ka na madiin, mape-perjury ka,” Gordon said.
Buño later admitted sending text messages to Camilon.
“Yes, may message ako sa kanya,” she said.
Before proceeding with his questioning, Gordon urged the official to just tell the truth.
The senator then started reading Buño’s testimony where the latter earlier claimed not knowing Camilon.
“Ngayon nagtetext na kayo so magkakakilala kayo?” Gordon asked.
“Sir hindi ko sya kilala personal,” Buño.
“Sige text mate. Umiikli ang pasensya namin dito sa inyo ha,” said Gordon.
He lamented Buño’s continued denial despite the NBI’s findings.
“Deny ka ng deny hindi mo sya nakakausap whether by voice or text… Tatanungin ko ngayon ang NBI, pag sumagot ito talagang papa-perjury na kita, pa false statement na kita dito,” said a visibly irked Gordon. /muf