Top prosecutor warns of perjury charges for false addresses in complaints

MANILA — The country's top government prosecutor warned Monday that filing complaints with false or incorrect addresses amounts to perjury and undermines the judicial process. The warning came amid a case involving veteran journalist Philip Lustre, who was indicted and arrested without receiving a copy of the complaint or an opportunity to mount a defense after a complainant submitted an inaccurate address. The chief prosecutor acknowledged that Lustre was deprived of due process as a result of the address discrepancy, noting that proper notification is fundamental to ensuring defendants can exercise their constitutional rights. The erroneous address prevented authorities from delivering the complaint documents to Lustre at the correct location, effectively blocking his ability to prepare a timely defense. The prosecutor's statement underscores the serious consequences of filing complaints with false information and highlights vulnerabilities in the complaint process that can deny accused individuals their right to due process protection under Philippine law.