P1,000 fine for bry captain who didn’t file SALN

A Cebu City court convicted a barangay captain in Roxas City, Aklan province for failure to file his annual Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) in 2011.

Jessie Salgado pleaded guilty and was fined P1,000.

The decision, released yesterday, followed Tuesday’s historic guilty verdict of the Senate impeachment court against Chief Justice Renato Corona who was removed from office for failure to fully disclose his assets in his SALN.

The Ombudsman in the Visayas warned public officials to submit “true and detailed” SALNs.

Jessie Salgado of barangay Tiza in Roxas City pleaded guilty when he was arraigned on March 12 before Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) Executive Judge Francisco Seville Jr.

He failed to submit his annual SALN in violation of section 8 of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

In a court decision released yesterday, the judge imposed a P1,000 fine.

Salgado was charged by the the Ombudsman Visayas based in Cebu City,

The judge said he imposed a lesser penalty because the barangay captain immediately pleaded guilty.

Violators of the law requiring all government personnel to file SALN forms every year can draw a maximum prison term of five years or fine up to P5,000 or both.

Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol yesterday said all government officials and employees are mandated to file “true and detailed” SALNs.

“SALNs are an effective strategy to combat corruption and promote ethical conduct in public service,” Apostol said.

The document must be filed within 30 days after assuming office and every April 30 of succeeding years.

Apostol said they have received complaints for non-filing of SALN, non-declaration of assets, non-declaration of improvements, non-declaration of business interest and other financial connections, assets recorded in the name of dummies or other persons except beneficial use, changing the mode of acquisition of assets and lumping of illegitimate assets to intermingle with other legitimate assets.

He said there are also public officers who were charged for “disposal of newly acquired asset with fantastic selling price to justify sharp increase in networth, some who were sued claimed they won in lotteries, increase liabilities due to bank loans without an actual or existing loan in the bank and recording of non-existing assets during the submission of SALN.”

Apostol said all government officials and employees are mandated to include all their wealth in their SALN.

He said dollar accounts could be converted into peso before declaring it as part of “cash in bank.”

“If you won’t declare your dollar accounts, your SALN is understated. The networth (actual wealth) will be affected,” Apostol said.

He said government officials and employees should also declare their shares in commingled accounts.

He, however, admitted that the anti-graft office will conduct an investigation on questionable SALNs once there is a complainant.

The anti-graft office can also conduct an investigation if the media complains, he said.

Apostol appealed to the public to be vigilant.