Jamaine Punzalan

Ex-lawmaker Zaldy Co's alleged former security aide Orly Guteza answers questions during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the alleged anomalous flood control projects at the Senate plenary hall in Pasay City on September 25, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

SENATE PROBE- FLOOD CONTROL ANOMALIES

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178728768112120250925-senate-flood-control-probe-orly-guteza-JC3321.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Ex-lawmaker Zaldy Co&#x27;s alleged former security aide Orly Guteza answers questions during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the alleged anomalous flood control projects at the Senate plenary hall in Pasay City on September 25, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Friday he would seek harsher penalties for those who induce witnesses to perjure themselves following the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/20/guteza-recants-senate-testimony-says-defensor-and-marcoleta-behind-it-1858">recantation of Orly Guteza&#x27;s allegation </a>against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.</p><p>Guteza&#x27;s took back his allegation of delivering cash to Romualdez in the wake of similar recantations by other former alleged staff members of former lawmaker Zaldy Co.</p><p>&quot;Orly Guteza’s recantation should not end there. Republic Act No. 11594 which we passed in October 2021 has increased the penalty for perjury to ‘prision mayor’. Further, a person who induces another to commit perjury is also liable for being a principal by inducement,&quot; he said in a post on X.</p><p>&quot;I will file a bill imposing heavier penalty and fine for &#x27;subornation of perjury&#x27; or, if a person induces or forces another to commit perjury,&quot; he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/20/romualdez-includes-guteza-s-recantation-in-supplemental-counter-affidavit-for-ombudsman-1608">Romualdez includes Guteza&#x27;s recantation in supplemental counter-affidavit for Ombudsman </a></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gYxiCfSSn2g?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>Lacson explained that the person directly offended or prejudiced by the perjury may file such a complaint against those who induced someone else to commit perjury.</div><p>&quot;(T)he person directly offended or prejudiced by the perjury may file. In Guteza’s case - ex Speaker Romualdez. If not him for some reason, any public officer charged with enforcing the law,&quot; he said.</p><p>Guteza has claimed that Marcoleta and former lawmaker Michael Defensor had him &quot;testify&quot; in exchange for money and scholarships for his children. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/20/guteza-recants-senate-testimony-says-defensor-and-marcoleta-behind-it-1858">Guteza recants Senate testimony, says Defensor and Marcoleta behind it </a></div><p>In the meantime, Lacson underscored the need to strictly implement Republic Act 11594, which imposes heavier prison terms and fines on those who commit perjury.</p><p>&quot;While figuratively, testimonies and recantations are &#x27;one dime a dozen&#x27; these days, ironically, they have become a lucrative business especially when targeting politicians,&quot; he noted.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/20/after-guteza-recants-ombudsman-says-28-others-ready-to-testify-in-romualdez-cases-1024">Ombudsman says 28 witnesses to testify in Romualdez probe despite Guteza’s reported recantation </a></div><p>Under existing laws, false testimony is punishable with prision mayor in its minimum period (six years and one day to eight years), and a fine of P1 million.</p><p>If the offender is a public officer or employee, the maximum jail time is increased to 12 years, along with perpetual absolute disqualification from holding any appointive or elective position in government.</p><p>Lacson added that aside from the heavier penalties in the law, the recantations may not necessarily weaken the cases against those implicated. </p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5qxpTauzkQk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3FoYFqxoKrA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AU5TTIwOrNc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Friday he would seek harsher penalties for those who induce witnesses to perjure themselves following the recantation of Orly Guteza's allegation against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.</p>

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Friday he would seek harsher penalties for those who induce witnesses to perjure themselves following the recantation of Orly Guteza's allegation against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Lacson wants harsher penalties for subornation of perjury after Guteza recantation

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Lacson wants harsher penalties for subornation of perjury after Guteza recantation

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 21, 2026 12:55 PM PHT

Read More:

Guteza

Orly Guteza

Guteza recants

Guteza recantation

Defensor

Marcoleta

Lacson

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