Perjury complaint vs Bangayan filed

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Businessman Davidson Bangayan now faces a perjury complaint filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) Friday, February 7, for allegedly lying about his identity under oath.

The complaint was filed by Horace Cruda, the Legislative Committee Secretary of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food.

Bangayan, who is allegedly the same person as the implicated big-time smuggler David Tan, appeared as a resource person before the Senate during a January 22 and February 3 hearing. Under oath, he denied being David Tan.

His pronouncement before the Senate, said affiant Cruda, contradicted a 2005 affidavit that he filed for a libel case. In the sworn statement, he referred to himself as “Davidson Bangayan a.k.a. David Tan.”

The libel case was filed by Bangayan against Federation of Philippine Industries Chairman Jesus Arranza, Eric and Lian Thong, Henry Chin Hee Loong, Teodoro Locsin Jr, and Elaine Ramos for imputing Bangayan and his company, Advanced Scrap Specialists Corp, of wrongful acts including swindling.

The affidavit was filed on April 26, 2005. Arranza also testified in Senate that Bangayan sued him for libel.

An additional evidence also points to the oneness of Bangayan and Tan. A certification dated April 22, 2005 confirmed Bangayan’s ownership of the company, where Bangayan was also identified as “Davidson Bangayan a.k.a. David Tan.”

How he was cited in contempt

During Bangayan’s first appearance in the Senate, he said he didn’t know why he was being confused with a certain David Tan. He also said he does not remember anyone with that name.

“My name is Davidson Bangayan. I’m not David Tan,” he expressly said during the early part of the hearing.

De Lima then presented the affidavit that Bangayan filed for the 2005 libel case against Arranza and 5 others, where Bangayan referred to himself as “a.k.a. David Tan.”

Enrile, who had knowledge of the libel case, challenged Bangayan to tell the truth about his identity. He told Bangayan he could go to jail if he lied.

On February 3 at the subsequent Senate hearing, Enrile repeated the question: “Mr Bangayan, are you still denying that you are David Tan?”

The senator also told Bangayan he is giving him a chance to reveal his true identity.

Bangayan, however, maintained his stand that he is not the reported smuggler David Tan. He said he signed the complaint-affidavit using the name Davidson Bangayan, which proves he is not Tan.

Bangayan added that he had to refer to himself as “a.k.a. David Tan” based on the newspaper report, which was the basis of the libel case.

National Bureau of Investigation arrested Bangayan for a case on electricity pilferage after the February 3 hearing, and he was released after posting bail. – Rappler.com