A former mayor from Lanao del Sur is in trouble after the Office of the Ombudsman indicted her for non-filing of Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth in 2007 to 2010.
The Ombudsman found probable cause to charge former Saguiran mayor Rasmia Macabago with three counts of violation of Section 8 of Republic Act No. 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
The Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao issued an Oct. 20, 2016 certification stating “there are no available SALNs on file of respondent.”
In a counter-affidavit, Macabago claimed “that she did not know that she ought to file a SALN since she did not know of any local officials who filed the same.”
“This area office’s certification affirming the non-availability of respondent’s SALNs from calendar years 2007 to 2010, coupled with her admission, suffices to indict respondent for violation of RA No. 6713," the resolution read.
“That respondent did not know of her duty to file her SALN cannot be given credence, as taking part of public service carries with the bounden duty to uphold the law.”
“The filing of SALNs of every public official or government employee cannot be overemphasized [as it] is the public’s means of monitoring the income and lifestyle of public officials and employees in compliance with the constitutional policy on public accountability and to ensure that all government employees and officials lead just and modest lives.”