LRA executive, wife face raps for unexplained wealth

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman ordered yesterday the filing of criminal charges against a Land Registration Authority official and his wife for their failure to disclose their assets and allegedly amassing P14.7 million in unexplained wealth.

Alberto Lingayo Sr., acting chief of the Ordinary and Cadastral Decree Division and his wife, Bella de Belen, a former land registration examiner, are facing perjury cases for undeclared properties in their Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

They will also be charged with violation of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

The case against them stemmed from a complaint filed by the Ombudsman’s Field Investigation Office (FIO) alleging that from 1995 to 2004, the Lingayos accumulated unexplained wealth amounting to P14.7 million, despite having a combined total annual salary of only P2.04 million.

Their acquired assets include several parcels of land worth P5.4 million, three speedboats worth P1.1 million, fishing equipment worth P1.05 million, jewelry and furniture worth P2.2 million, and several luxury vehicles including a Nissan Cefiro, Ford Explorer and a 2004 model Ford Escape.

In addition to acquiring unexplained wealth, the spouses also allegedly failed to disclose in their respective SALNs for the years 1996 to 1998 and 2002 several real properties in Novaliches and Bulacan, investments in Outdoor Sports Inc., and the capital for their surveying business.