THE Office of the Ombudsman ordered on Thursday the filing of six counts of violation of code of ethics against a former vice governor of Tawi-Tawi in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao before the Sandiganbayan.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales approved the finding of probable cause to charge Ruby Sahali Tan with six counts of violation of Section 8 of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees or Republic Act 6713.
The indictment of Tan stemmed from her failure to file her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth under oath from 2007 to 2011.
Tan also failed to file her 2008 to 2012 SALNs within the period provided by law.
Morales also directed the provincial human resource management office to comply with the period within which to submit copies of the SALNs of officials and employees as “failure to do so shall be dealt with accordingly.”
Under Section 8 of RA 6713, all public officials shall file under oath, their SALNs and a disclosure of their business interests and financial connections, including those of their spouse and unmarried children under 18 years of age living in their households.
The law also makes it mandatory for the SALNs to be filed on or before April 30 of each year.
The SALN is an annual document that all government workers in the Philippines, whether regular or temporary, must complete and submit attesting under oath to their total assets and liabilities, including businesses and financial interests.
It is a declaration of assets (i.e., land, vehicles, etc) and liabilities (i.e., loans, debts, etc), including business and financial interests, of an official/employee, of his or her spouse, and of his or her unmarried children under 18 years old still living in their parents’ households.
SALN includes a waiver authorizing the Ombudsman or his authorized representatives to attain documents that may show assets, liabilities, net worth, business interests, and financial connections from all appropriate government agencies.