Ex-CIDG chief pleads guilty to SALN violations

MANILA, Philippines — A former head of the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) was sentenced to a maximum of five years in prison after pleading guilty to not filing his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) and failing to declare several properties and business interests.

In a three-page decision promulgated on Sept. 5 and released to the media yesterday, the Sandiganbayan’s Second Division granted retired chief superintendent Eduardo Matillano’s request to withdraw his earlier plea of not guilty to three counts of perjury and eight counts of violation of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

Matillano was rearraigned on Sept. 5, during which he entered a plea of not guilty.

“He informed the court that he fully understands the nature and causes of the accusations against him, the same having been explained to him by his counsel,” the court noted in its decision.

Following his admission of guilt, the Second Division sentenced Matillano to a minimum of three months to a maximum of five years in prison for the three perjury cases and to pay a fine of P8,000 for the eight breach of conduct cases.

The court, however, clarified that “pending finality of the decision,” Matillano must still be allowed “to enjoy his provisional liberty” under the bail bond he earlier posted.

The decision was penned by division chairman Associate Justice Oscar Herrera Jr. with the concurrence of Associate Justices Michael Frederick Musngi and Lorifel Pahimna.

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2012, Matillano’s perjury cases stemmed from his alleged failure to declare several real estate properties, vehicles and business interests in his SALNs for 2001, 2002 and 2003.

The undeclared real properties supposedly include two lots in Kingsville Subdivision, Antipolo City; two buildings in Antipolo City; and a 1.69-hectare land in Roxas, Palawan.

The undeclared vehicles include a 2001 Toyota Hi-Ace van (WRY-812), a 1998 Nissan Patrol (WHZ-648), a 1996 Kia Ceres (UGT-693), a 1998 Honda motorcycle (TC-8111), a Mitsubishi Fuso (CNL-374), one Isuzu dump truck (UHR-635), a Misubishi Fuso tractor (UFL-564), an Isuzu vehicle (TDD-829) and a Suzuki Esteem (UTK-901).

The ombudsman said Matillano also did not list in his SALNs his business interests in Palawan Agromate Products Inc., First Food Caterers and Managers Corp., Warbird Security and Investigation Agency Inc., Camttrade Industrial Supply Corp. and Mega Source Technological and Industrial Corp.

The breach of conduct cases were in connection with Matillano’s failure to file his SALNs from 1994 to 2000 and in 2004.

Matillano is a graduate of Philippine Military Academy  Class of 1971, with Senators Panfilo Lacson and Gregorio Honasan as his classmates.

Matillano left the CIDG two weeks earlier than his scheduled retirement in November 2004 amid reports of using a luxury vehicle and a yacht seized from alleged drug lord Jackson Dy.