Gov’t officials reminded of last day of SALN filing

CEBU, Philippines - Civil servants across the country only have until today to file their statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) for the year 2015, the Office of the Ombudsman reminded.

This as Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales urged government officials and employees to submit their "honest and truthful" SALNs; otherwise, they may be criminally and administratively held liable.

Those who fail to submit their SALN will be held liable for violating Section 8 of Republic Act 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees), which requires all government officials and employees to submit declarations under oath on or before the last day of April.

The violation comes with a penalty of suspension of one month and one day to six months for the first offense, and dismissal from the service for the second offense.

Officials who filed their SALNs late will have to make justifications.

Those who serve in an honorary capacity, laborers and casual or temporary workers are exempted from the filing.

Public officials may be charged with perjury and falsification of public documents if found out that their SALNs do not reflect their true wealth.

Forfeiture proceedings will also be filed in court against officials whose assets and net worth are not proportionate to their lawful income.

The SALN is a declaration of assets and liabilities, including business and financial interests of a government official or employee, his or her spouse, and his or her unmarried children under 18 years old still living in their parents’ households.

The document is considered as a “potent tool” to determine ill-gotten wealth as it includes a waiver authorizing the anti-graft office or his authorized representatives to obtain documents that may show assets, liabilities, net worth, business interests, and financial connections from all appropriate government agencies for investigatory purposes, the Ombudsman noted.

The declaration should include the public worker’s assets, liabilities, net worth and financial and business interests, including their spouses and unmarried children under 18 years old living in their households.

Under the law, government officials and employees are also required to file their SALNs within 30 days after assumption of office and 30 days after separation from the service. — (FREEMAN)