PAO chief Acosta: 'Laglag-bala' perpetrators face reclusion perpetua

Public Attorney's Office (PAO) chief Persida Acosta on Monday warned individuals behind the so-called "laglag-bala" extortion scheme that they may be slapped with criminal charges and sentenced to reclusion perpetua if found guilty.

Acosta said that those who will be proven to have planted or inserted evidence, like a bullet, to implicate an innocent individual could be slapped with violations of the Revised Penal Code and Republic Act No. 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

"Any incriminatory act of planting/ inserting etc. [of] evidence can be criminally charged of 'incriminatory machinations' under Article 363 of the Revised Penal Code (arresto mayor) and Section 38 of the Comprehensive Firearms Act R.A. No. 10591," said Acosta.

Article 363 of the RPC states, "Any person who, by any act not constituting perjury, shall directly incriminate or impute to an innocent person the commission of a crime, shall be punished by arresto menor."

Acosta also stressed that if found guilty of violating Section 38 of RA 10591, a public officer will be punished with a penalty of reclusion perpetua.

Section 38 of RA 10591 states, "The penalty of prision mayor in its maximum period shall be imposed upon any person who shall willfully and maliciously insert; place, and/or attach, directly or indirectly, through any overt or covert act, any firearm, or ammunition, or parts thereof in the person, house, effects, or in the immediate vicinity of an innocent individual for the purpose of implicating or incriminating the person, or imputing the commission of any violation of the provisions of this Act to said individual."

"If the person found guilty under this paragraph is a public officer or employee, such person shall suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua."

Reclusion perpetua is a penalty imposed on people convicted of a crime under the RPC and carries with it an imprisonment of between 20 and 40 years.

After 30 years, convicts sentenced to reclusion perpetua are eligible for pardon.

Unlike a life sentence, which is handed down for crimes under special laws, reclusion perpetua carries with it accessory penalties including perpetual special disqualification.

PAO hotline

Acosta also advised overseas Filipino workers and other travelers to contact the PAO in case they get victimized by the alleged laglag-bala scheme at the airport.

"Please call PAO hotline 929-94-36 or 029299436 in case you are being charged of alleged 'laglag bala,'" she said.

President Benigno Aquino III earlier met with officials of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) amid allegations of the “laglag-bala” extortion scheme.

Three lawmakers had also urged Aquino to sack Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Jose Angel Honrado over the alleged growing number of "laglag-bala" extortion victims at the airport.

The MIAA, meanwhile, said that it will focus on going after those possibly involved in the extortion scheme.

MIAA spokesman David de Castro said in a briefing that 40 personnel of the Office of Transportation Security are now facing investigations in connection with the "laglag-bala" allegations. —ALG, GMA News