Senator Ping Lacson bared plans Friday to push for stiffer penalties against those who manipulate witnesses into committing perjury after the recantation of flood control scam “whistleblowers” Orly Guteza and four others. 

Before Guteza recanted his sworn testimony against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez earlier this week, four of the 18 “ex-bodyguards” of former lawmaker now fugitive Elizaldy Co also recanted their statements involving cash-filled suitcases purportedly delivered to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Romualdez, Co, and other politicians allied with the administration.

Lacson said their recantation, although not surprising, warrants amendments to the Anti-Perjury Law (RA 11594), passed in October 2021, to impose harsher penalties on those who commit subornation of perjury or induce or force a person to commit false testimony under oath. 

“Orly Guteza’s recantation should not end there…(T)he person directly offended or prejudiced by the perjury may file [a case]. In Guteza’s case — ex-Speaker Romualdez. If not him for some reason, any public officer charged with enforcing the law,” the Caviteño lawmaker said. 

He argued the law needs more teeth to curb the “lucrative business” where a witness is lured and paid to target political personalities in exchange for damaging testimony.

Lacson said Guteza’s recantation no longer came as a surprise, citing Senate records that allegedly showed he was “coached” before testifying in the flood control hearing he led as chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee on 23 September.