Ligot posts bail for perjury raps

Former military comptroller Jacinto Ligot. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Former military comptroller Jacinto Ligot on Friday posted a P66,000 bail at the  Sandiganbayan for the perjury charges filed against him.

Ligot posted a bail of P66,000 (P6,000 for each of the 11 perjury cases against him) a day after the anti-graft court’s first division ordered his arrest for alleged false declarations in his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) from 1993 to 2003.

The retired lieutenant general arrived at the Sandiganbayan around 10:30 a.m. and went through the bail process and had his photograph and fingerprints taken–all of which took almost an hour.

While the arrest warrant against Ligot has been recalled, the Sandiganbayan’s hold-departure order, which would prevent Ligot from leaving the country without prior clearance from the anti-graft court, stays.

The Sandiganbayan first division chaired by Associate Justice Efren Dela Cruz issued the arrest order after Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales filed perjury charges against Ligot last April 13.

The Ombudsman filed the charges a few days after the Supreme Court lifted the freeze order on P135 million worth of questioned assets of Ligot in connection with a forfeiture case filed against him and his family for alleged unexplained wealth while in active service.

As former chief comptroller of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Ligot has been implicated in the multi-million “pabaon” (parting gift) funds misuse scandal in the military exposed in the Senate three years ago.