Andanar’s pa slapped with ethics raps over undeclared property

THE Office of the Ombudsman on Wednesday filed an ethics complaint against former Interior undersecretary Wencelito Andanar for his alleged failure to declare a property in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).

Andanar, the father of Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar, was charged with two counts of violation of Section 8 of R.A. No. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees before the Sandiganbayan.

“That on April 30, 2006, or sometime prior or subsequent thereto in Manila, Philippines and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, accused, Wencelito T. Andanar, then a public officer being an Undersecretary (Salary Grade 30) at the Department of Interior and Local Government, committing the offense in relation to his office, did then and there willfully, unlawfully and criminally fail to declare his property covered by Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) No. T-9328, in his sworn Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth for the year 2005, which the law requires to be declared therein, to the damage and prejudice of the public interest,” the complaint read.

The Ombudsman recommended a P10,000 bail bond for each count.

Andanar was an original stalwart of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), the party that fielded then Davao City mayor and now President Rodrigo Duterte as its standard-bearer in the May elections.

He served as DILG undersecretary for police matters and transnational crime and was briefly appointed by as acting Interior chief by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.