Parañaque treasurer flunks lifestyle check

MANILA, Philippines – A Parañaque City official who went abroad 49 times between 1997 and 2008 despite a monthly salary of P25,000 has flunked the government’s lifestyle check, the Department of Finance (DOF) said yesterday.

The department’s Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS) has filed criminal and administrative cases against Parañaque City treasurer Jesusa Enriquez Cuneta before the Office of the Ombudsman for graft and violating Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. 

RIPS investigators said Cuneta made a systematic pattern of misrepresentation and evasion in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth (SALNs) for the purpose of concealing any illegitimate acquisitions of wealth.

Records from the Bureau of Immigration said Cuneta travelled to Hong Kong, Bangkok in Thailand, and Frankfurt in Germany 49 times between 1997 and 2008 even without the required travel authority from the DOF.

The DOF said Cuneta owns a couple of prime properties in Makati and Las Piñas, a house and lot with swimming pool in Miramonte Village-Pansol and a lot worth P1.8 million in Laguna Hills-Pansol in Calamba, Laguna.

Cuneta purportedly adopted a scheme to use her parents as “dummies” to involve them in the concealment of her land ownerships and misdeclaration of their true market values.

The DOF said Cuneta acquired a Suzuki Grand Vitara, Suzuki Jimny, Mitsubishi Colt Lancer, Mitsubishi Pajero and a Yamaha motorbike registered under her parents’ names in spite of the fact that her parents do not have the financial means to purchase the vehicles.

The DOF has asked the Ombudsman to impose a six-month preventive suspension on Cuneta during the proceedings.