MANILA, Philippines - Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has created a five-member panel led by a senior opposition lawmaker to review compliance of members of the House of Representatives on the filing of their respective statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs).
Belmonte signed on June 18 Special Order 05-12 that also covered other officials and employees of the House pursuant to Republic Act 6713, otherwise known as the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
The committee is headed by House ethics committee chair Bohol Rep. Erico Aumentado. Its members are Reps. Giorgidi Aggabao (Isabela), Tomas Apacible (Batangas), Rodolfo Antonino (Nueva Ecija), and Rufus Rodriguez (Cagayan de Oro).
The panel shall determine “whether the SALNs were submitted on time, are complete and in proper form, and if not, inform the reporting individual and direct him/her to take the necessary corrective action,” the order stated.
The committee was also tasked to render any opinion interpreting RA 6713, “in writing to persons, subject in each instance to the approval by an affirmation vote of the majority of the House of Representatives.”
The panel was likewise directed to formulate rules and procedures for public access to copies of SALNs in the House.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Ombudsman reminded government officials and employees to take the duty of filing their SALN seriously.
It issued the call following a Sandiganbayan decision on May 17, 2012 that convicted Danilo Collantes, former provincial engineer of Rizal, of two counts of Violation of Section 8(a) in relation to Section 11 of RA 6713 for his failure to file his SALN for the years 2001 and 2002.
During trial, the respondent initially entered a “not guilty” plea to the charges but later pleaded guilty.
Assistant Ombudsman and spokesperson Asryman Rafanan said that under Section 11 of the law, violation of Section 8 thereof is “punishable with imprisonment not exceeding five years, or a fine not exceeding P5,000, or both, and, in the discretion of the court of competent jurisdiction, disqualification to hold public office.” – With Michael Punongbayan