Ombudsman suspends Vice Governor Sinsuat over SALNs

MANILA, Philippines – Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales ordered the 6-month suspension of Maguindanao Vice Governor Lester Sinsuat after he failed to accurately declare properties in his Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

Sinsuat was found guilty of simple negligence for the misdeclaration of properties in his 2007, 2008, 2011 and 2012 SALNs.

Morales also found probable cause to charge Sinsuat with 4 counts of perjury. Sinsuat, according to a press statement from the Ombudsman, consistently failed to declare 5 agricultural lands, 2 commercial properties, and a residential property in his SALNs.

In his defense, Sinsuat said he was “not directly involved in processing the registration of properties” under his name and that he “merely requests his staff to do so” for him. Furthermore, Sinsuat said it is “common practice and culture” in his province to rely on “word of honor in transactions involving real properties.”

But the Ombudsman said records sufficiently prove that Sinsuat made a “willful and deliberate assertion of a falsehood” by omitting in his SALNs the real properties he acquired during the specified years.

The press statement said that Sinsuat “failed to pay attention to the details of his SALN, resulting in the inaccuracy of crucial information.”

The Ombudsman reminded public servants about the importance of “prudence, caution, and attention…in the management of their affairs.”

Earlier the Ombudsman also suspended Sulu Governor Abdusakur “Sakur” Tan and his brother Maimbung Mayor Samier Abubakar Tan for improper declaration of their SALNs.

Sakur Tan was suspended for one month without pay for simple neglect of duty, while his brother was suspended for 6 months without pay. – Rappler.com