Deputy Speaker denies omitting assets in SALN

MANILA, Philippines - House Deputy Speaker Arnulfo Fuentebella denied allegations yesterday that he has not been declaring all his assets and liabilities as required by law in his statements of assets liabilities and net worth (SALNs).

Speaking through his lawyer Juanito Velasco, the congressman said he has been truthfully declaring all his properties since he was in government.

Fuentebella was responding to media reports that former Camarines Sur councilor Francisco Ramirez Tria III has filed a complaint against him before the Office of the Ombudsman over alleged misdeclarations in his SALNs.

“While we have yet to receive a copy of the complaint, let it be said that Deputy Speaker Fuentebella has been dutifully filing his SALNs in full compliance with the requirements of the law and such guidelines on SALNs like those issued by the Civil Service Commission,” Velasco said.

He said they are ready to dispute the allegations in the proper forum and lamented “those behind the complaint have resorted to trial by publicity.”

Velasco said Tria is being used by a political personality to get at him over his authorship of a bill proposing the creation of the province of Nueva Camarines.

He alleged that the complainant, who ran for mayor but lost to Fuentebella’s wife, has a checkered background and is bereft of any credibility.

He said the group associated with the complainant had drawn criticism from the people of Camarines Sur for badmouthing the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo before his demise.

“Now, can people be blamed for thinking that this group just wants to divert attention away from their attacks on Secretary Robredo by generating publicity from their complaint against Rep. Fuentebella?” Velasco asked.

Tria, in his complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman, accused the congressman of graft, perjury, falsification and public documents for his alleged “deliberate failure” to declare ownership of some 22 properties covering a land area of almost 36 hectares in his 2011 SALN.