Bedol charged for failing to file SALNs

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman yesterday ordered the filing of criminal cases against former Maguindanao provincial election supervisor Lintang Bedol of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for failing to file statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) for five consecutive years. 

In a six-page ruling, the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao approved the filing of charges against him for violation of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. 

The results of an investigation conducted by the anti-graft agency show that Bedol, who became controversial for his involvement in alleged massive poll fraud in 2004 and 2007, did not file his SALNs from 2002 to 2007. 

When given a chance to explain during the probe, the former Comelec official justified his non-filing of SALNs by claiming that all election documents and his personal files including his 2005 and 2006 SALNs were stolen when his office at Sharif Aguak, Maguindanao was ransacked in May 2007.

“Such a claim even strengthened his indictment as why would respondent simply store the SALNs among his personal documents and not file them with the Office of the Ombudsman or Comelec Manila,” the Office of the Ombudsman said. 

Bedol also claimed that he did not file his SALN in 2007, 2008, and 2009 as he went into hiding due to threats made on his life to prevent him from reporting to the media the anomalies during the elections in 2007.  

Again, the Office of the Ombudsman rejected his claims since he was no longer a public official in 2007 as he has been absent without official leave since 2007 and resurfaced only in 2011.