An undersecretary of the Department of Justice is planning to file perjury and other criminal charges against Maguindanao Gov. Ismael Mangudadatu for allegedly fabricating a bribery case against him and other prosecutors handling the Maguindanao massacre case.
Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan said he would meet with the prosecutors who were also falsely accused of bribery to determine the legal options they can take against Mangudadatu and his lawyers, Nena Santos and Gemma Oquendo.
“All options are now being carefully studied,” Baraan said.
“But, let me say this: I cannot forgive Nena Santos and her cohorts. They will be made to answer for their madness. I will be meeting with Atty. Harry Roque, Senior Deputy State Prosecutor, and the Ampatuan panel of prosecutors to discuss our legal moves,” he added.
The DoJ official also did not rule out the possibility that Mangudadatu’s brother, Maguindanao Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu, will be charged as well.
The witness against Baraan and the prosecutors, Jerammy Joson, recently recanted her statement, adding that she was only used by the camp of Mangudadatu.
In her five-page affidavit submitted to the Justice department, Joson admitted fabricating charges against Baraan and some of the prosecutors upon orders of Santos and Oquendo.
Joson said the supposed notebook allegedly bearing the records of the payoffs made to the DOJ official and other prosecutors was merely “concocted.”
“They would often tell me that they had to find a way to destroy Undersecretary Baraan and that I should help them for such purpose,” Joson said in her affidavit.
“I also learned that Attorney Nena Santos, Attorney Gemma Oquendo and Governor Toto have an axe to grind against Undersecretary Baraan, that they want him out of the Ampatuan case by taking away the trust of Secretary De Lima on him, so they would use me to destroy the reputation of Baraan and file charges against him,” she added.
Joson has already withdrawn the graft and corruption cases she filed against Baraan before the Office of the Ombudsman.