The Sandiganbayan has asked former Sulu governor Abdusakur Tan to pay a fine of P25,000 for his failure to file his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth for five years.
In a September 7 decision, the anti-graft court's Sixth Division ordered Tan to pay P5,000 each for his five cases of violation of Section 8 of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
Last April, Tan entered a guilty plea before the anti-graft court following his admission of non-filing of his SALNs from 2007 to 2011.
The anti-graft court ordered Tan to pay a total fine of P25,000 as punishment for his case.
The court, in its Sept. 7 resolution, said: “When queried, the accused and his counsel informed the Court that the accused fully understood the nature and consequences of his entering a plea of guilty to the crime charged in the Information.”
“Having pleaded guilty to the charges in the Information, the accused is deemed to have admitted all the material facts alleged therein,” it added.
Tan was charged with five counts of violation of Section 8 of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees for allegedly “willfully, unlawfully and criminally fail[ed] to file under oath and/or submit to the Office of the Ombudsman” his SALNs from 2007 to 2011.
His son, Samier Tan was charged with two counts of violating the Code of Conduct for his alleged inability to submit his SALNs for the years 2010 and 2011.
The law provides that the failure to file a SALN is punishable by an imprisonment of five years at the maximum or P5,000 at the maximum, as well as possible disqualification from public office depending on the court's discretion.
