Padaca fined P4,000 for SALN violations

MANILA, Philippines — Former Isabela governor Grace Padaca has  been fined for not filing her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) from 2007 to 2010.

In a decision dated Sept. 27 and released yesterday, the Sandiganbayan ordered Padaca to pay P1,000 each for four counts of violation of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees after she pleaded guilty to the charges through her lawyer Rogelio Vinluan.

Padaca had earlier denied the allegations, saying she was surprised upon being informed by the human resource department of the office of the provincial administrator of Isabela that only her SALNs for 2004 and 2006 had been filed.

A former commissioner of the Commission on Elections, Padaca has a pending case for graft and malversation of public funds before the Sandiganbayan. 

The cases stemmed from her alleged grant of a contract amounting to P25 million for a hybrid rice program to a non-government organization without public bidding when she was governor in 2006.

Graft probers said Padaca conspired with local officials and awarded the contract to Economic Development for Western Isabela and Northern Luzon Foundation Inc.  based solely on a memorandum of agreement approved by the provincial board.