“Nag-submit lang siya ng counter-affidavit and he subscribed it before the investigating prosecutors,” said Prosecutor General Claro Arellano, head of the DOJ’s National Prosecution Service.
Bangayan, who is said to be big-time rice smuggler David Tan, swore to the truthfulness of his counter-affidavit in front of prosecuting attorney Loverhette Villordon.
Arellano also said Bangayan is not expected to show up on Thursday’s preliminary investigation on the perjury complaint at 10 a.m.
Villordon refused to provide media copies of the counter-affidavit yet, but said copies could be given right after Thursday’s preliminary probe.
Bangayan was accompanied at the DOJ by his legal counsel Alejandro Ovenas.
Bangayan skipped last Monday’s Senate inquiry on rice smuggling after being hospitalized due to back pain.
According to his lawyer, Bangayan’s blood pressure shot up and he had difficulty walking over the weekend, causing the controversial trader to be brought to the Laoag General Hospital.
On Feb. 7, the Senate filed its 11-page complaint against Bangayan for supposedly lying about his identity during a congressional probe on rice smuggling.
Bangayan was accused of violating of Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code, which refers to “False testimony in other cases and perjury in solemn affirmation.”
Senate agriculture committee chairwoman Cynthia Villar said her panel decided to cite Bangayan for contempt after he repeatedly denied being David Tan despite court records showing otherwise.
Bangayan had repeatedly claimed he is not David Tan, but documents submitted to the Department of Justice about a libel case he filed against Jesus Arranza, chairman of the Federation of Philippine Industries in 2005, showed him identifying himself as using the alias David Tan.
Last month, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) seized Bangayan, with the belief that he is David Tan, in connection with a pending case before the Caloocan City Regional Trial Court for the violation of Republic Act 7832 (Anti-Electricity and Electric Transmission Lines/Materials Pilferage Act). He was freed after his lawyers produced documents identifying him as Davidson Bangayan and not David Tan.
Earlier this month Bangayan was rearrested on the same charge, but then released shortly after posting bail. — BM, GMA News
