Ligot posts bail for perjury raps

Former military comptroller Jacinto Ligot. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Retired Lt. Gen. Jacinto Ligot, former military chief comptroller, on Friday posted bail before the Sandiganbayan in connection with perjury charges slapped against him for filing erroneous statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) while in office.

Ligot posted a bail of P66,000 for 11 counts of perjury a day after the antigraft court’s first division ordered his arrest for alleged false declarations in his SALN from 1993 to 2003.

The retired general arrived at the Sandiganbayan at around 10:30 a.m. and went through the bail process, including the taking of mug shots and fingerprints for almost an hour.

While the arrest warrant against him has been recalled, the Sandiganbayan’s hold departure order stays. This prevents Ligot from leaving the country without prior clearance from the antigraft court.

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 on April 13.

The Ombudsman filed the charges a few days after the Supreme Court lifted the freeze order on the 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 multimillion “pabaon” (parting gift) funds misuse scandal in the military, which was exposed in the Senate three years ago.