Maguindanao vice governor charged over undisclosed properties

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman has filed criminal charges against Maguindanao vice governor Lester Sinsuat over his alleged failure to declare two real properties in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth or SALN.

Filed before the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan, the case involve two counts of perjury under Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code.

Based on the charge sheets prepared by assistant special prosecutor Jorge Espinal, Sinsuat, while under oath, made a “willful and deliberate assertion of falsehood” in his SALNs from 2011 and 2012 during his term as mayor of Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao.

The ombudsman said that in his SALN for 2011, Sinsuat failed to declare his ownership of a real property located in Barangay Awang in Datu Odin Sinsuat covered by Transfer Certificate Title (TCT) No. T-37110.

In his SALN for 2012, the ombudsman said Sinsuat also failed to declare another real property covered by TCT No. T-38860 located in Barangay Capiton also in Datu Odin Sinsuat town.

The ombudsman said Sinsuat's “willful” omission of his real properties in his SALNs was a violation of Section 7 of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Section 8 of RA 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

Both laws mandate all public officials and employees to disclose in their SALN all their assets, liabilities and net worth as well as financial and business interests as of December 31 of every year, including those of his or her spouse and of unmarried children under 18 years of age living in their household.

The charge sheets were approved by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales on August 4, 2017 but the cases were formally filed at the Sandiganbayan only on November 7.

The ombudsman recommended to the Sandiganbayan to set Sinsuat's bail bond at P12,000.

Set to testify against Sinsuat were representatives from Municipal Assessor's Office, Provincial Assessor's Office, Provincial Registry of Deeds and an investigator from the Office of the Ombudsman for Mindanao-Field Investigation Unit.

The ombudsman, in October 2016, had placed Sinsuat under six-month suspension for administrative offense of simple negligence in connection with his alleged failure to declare five agricultural lands, two commercial properties and a residential property in his SALNs for 2007, 2008, 2011 and 2012.

Morales ordered the filing of four counts of perjury against Sinsuat, but so far, only two counts of supposed offense has been filed against him before the Sandiganbayan.