DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The political careers of two Mindanao town officials were put to end after the Ombudsman dismissed them from service over irregularities on their Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs).
In a statement on Thursday, the Office of the Ombudsman also said that Mayor Montasil Sabal of Talitay town in Maguindanao was meted with the accessory penalties of “perpetual disqualification from holding public office, cancellation of eligibility and forfeiture of retirement benefits.”
The town mayor was dismissed for ”serious dishonesty” after he failed to disclose his ownership of five real estate properties located in Doña Luisa and Buhangin in Davao City and in Cotabato City.
The Ombudsman said the non-disclosure in the respondent’s SALN for 2011, 2013 and 2014 “constitutes Serious Dishonesty as the acts were done fraudulently and were committed several times.”
“The respondent also violated Section 7 of R.A. No. 3019 (Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) and Section 8 of R.A. No. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees) for failing to make a complete disclosure, including the residential lots owned by his wife and son as the law also requires him to acknowledge such property,” the Ombudsman added.
Another town official, the former mayor of Dumingag, Zamboanga del Sur, was also dismissed from service. Nacianceno Pacalioga Jr., who now serves as vice mayor, was found to have failed to declare 10 parcels of land located in different villages in Dumingag.
The Ombudsman said Pacalioga is guilty of “Falsification of Official Document and Serious Dishonesty by deliberately omitting several real properties” from his 2011, 2012, and 2014 SALNs.
“He was also meted the accessory penalties of cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits and perpetual disqualification for reemployment in the government service,” the Ombudsman said.
Pacalioga also faced related criminal case after the Ombudsman found probable cause to indict him on three counts of perjury and three counts of violation of RA 6713.
“The respondent, however, asserted that he did not need to declare the real properties as he had already waived his rights over them in favor of the Dumingag United Subanen Association, Inc. and to a certain Roel Dumayon prior to 2011. Upon careful study, the Ombudsman found the documents questionable as the quit claims do not mention any of the properties he is being accused of failing to declare,” the Ombudsman said.
“The incomplete declaration of respondent’s assets in his SALNs constitutes falsification while his deceptive acts qualify as Serious Dishonesty,” the Office added.
Following the decision, the Ombudsman has directed the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government to implement the penalty imposed upon Pacalioga.
The laws require public officials to file a true and detailed SALN during each year of their incumbency.
(davaotoday.com)
