SC affirms forfeiture of ex-AFP chief's unexplained wealth

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court has upheld the Sandiganbayan decision ordering the forfeiture of the unexplained wealth of former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Lisandro Abadia and his wife.

The high court's Third Division dismissed the motion for reconsideration filed by Abadia questioning the Sandiganbayan ruling last June that ordered him to return to the government his unexplained wealth worth P11.26 million, the Philippine News Agency reported.

The report said that according to the decision written by Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Alex Quiroz, the Abadia couple could not explain the abrupt increase in the Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth (SALN) of the retired AFP chief.

Abadia's SALN reportedly indicated that his networth rose from P3.77 million in 1991 to P6.476 million in 1992 and to P13.61 million in 1993.

The SC Third Division said in its two-page resolution that it found no irreversible error to reverse and set aside the ruling of the Sandiganbayan against the Abadia couple, the PNA reported.

Abadia retired from the government as AFP chief of staff in 1994.