Marina engineer charged in court for questionable SALN

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman - Visayas filed a civil case against an engineer of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) 7 who allegedly falsified her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

A separate criminal case has been filed in court against Lilah Rodas for the same alleged offense.

Graft Investigator Alfred Yann Oguis charged Rodas for “forfeiture of unlawfully acquired wealth” for acquiring two vehicles in 2003 and for an increase in the acquisition cost of her property, which Oguis said is “out of proportion” to her salary.

Oguis asked the court to make Rodas explain why her assets amounted to P900,000 in 2003 when her annual salary was only P173,400 at that point.

All government employees are required to submit their SALN to the Office of the Ombudsman every year for purposes of a lifestyle check.

Rodas was appointed as Engineer II of MARINA in 1999 with an annual salary of P146,472. She reportedly declared a net worth of P2,216,000 at that time.

In her SALN, Rodas her declared jewelries, appliances, books and etc. that cost P150,000.

In 2000, 2001 and 2002, her yearly declares her net worth was P4,680,000 due to the re-appraisal of her real properties and an increase of P50,000 in the purchase cost of her jewelries, appliances, books, etc. Rodas received an annual salary of P161,124 in 2000, an annual salary of P169, 176 in 2001 and 2002, and P173,400 in 2003.

In 2003, Rodas declared in her SALN that she acquired two vehicles – a Mitsubishi Pajero and Toyota Surf - collectively priced at P600,000. She also declared an increase in the acquisition cost of jewelries, appliances, books, etc. at P300,000.

The year before, the acquisition cost of jewelries, appliances, books and etc. was only P200,000.

Oguis said Rodas’s declarations in her 2003 SALN – the cost in acquiring the two vehicles and acquisition cost of her jewelries, appliances, books, etc. - constitutes “ill-gotten wealth.”

Oguis added Rodas did not even put any business interest and financial connections, including those of her husband and children, thus, “the P900,000 increase of her assets was obviously out of proportion and cannot be sustained by the annual income of the her for the year 2003 of just P173,400.” — (FREEMAN)