SALN violation: Ex-army colonel gets jail, fine

MANILA, Philippines – For failing to disclose a monthly income of P9,000, a retired military officer was sentenced to one year imprisonment by the Sandiganbayan which declared him guilty of violating the law on Statement of Assets Liabilities and Networth (SALN), Republic Act 6713.

The court also slapped him with a P5,000-fine and disqualified him from holding public office. The verdict is subject to appeal.

While he was serving the military, Army Col Ceferino Leyritana Layao acted as vice president of security agency Holy Spirit Security Corp. He did not declare this financial interest in his 1996 SALN. 

“Layao did not disclose his business and financial interest as an official of the security firm, a corporation duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, in his SALN for the calendar year 1996 for which position he earned a monthly income of P9,000,” reads the press release from the Office of the Ombudsman, which filed the case against the officer.

“During trial, the Ombudsman’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) presented evidence on Layao’s initial registration with the Social Security System (SSS) on April 5, 1978 when he was assigned an SSS Number, the same number reflected in the remittances made by Holy Spirit for him during the months of August to December 1996,” the press release added.

The decision was penned by Associate Justice Gregory Ong. Associate Justices Jose Hernandez and Maria Cristina Cornejo concurred. – Rappler.com