Hagedorn faces raps over 59 undeclared properties

MANILA, Philippines  - Former Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn is facing charges of perjury and falsification of public documents as well administrative violations for allegedly failing to declare 59 properties that he owns.

Lawyer Berteni Causing, president of civic groups Hukuman ng Mamamayan Movement and Alab ng Mamamahayag, filed on Wednesday seven counts of perjury and nine counts of falsification of public documents against Hagedorn before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Causing accused the city mayor of lying in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth or SALN while he was in office from 2004 to 2012.

He added that while Hagedorn denies owning the 59 real estate assets with a total land area of 133 hectares in Puerto Princesa, the properties are "all registered in his name during his incumbency as mayor."

Causing submitted certified true copies of tax declarations of the said properties issued by the city assessor showing Hagedorn's name in them.

Hagedorn only declared four properties in his past SALNs, the lawyer said.

In the 15-page complaint, Hagedorn is also charged for violating Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees for the misdeclaration.

In a previous interview, Hagedorn said his family also owns a Jollibee franchise in Rizal, Palawan but denied that the business was built using illegal means.

"We loaned money from the bank," he said.

The mayor has also earned criticisms for allegedly ordering the killing of wrongdoers and political opponents without due process.

"I must admit that sometimes you have to use strong arm to implement the law, pero never nagkaroon sa'min ng salvaging or killing just because he is a political enemy," Hagedorn said.