MANILA, July 4 — The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the filing of five counts of violation of Section 8 of Republic Act No. 6713, or the “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees”, against then Sulu Vice Gov. Abdusakur Tan for failure to file his Statement of Assets Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).
Likewise, facing the same charges for two counts are Maimbung, Sulu Mayor Samier Abubakar Tan and for five counts Lugus, Sulu Mayor Al-Zhudurie Asmadun.
Records from the Ombudsman showed that then Vice Gov. Tan failed to file his SALN from 2007 to 2011.
Meanwhile, Samier failed to file his SALN for 2010 and 2011, and Asmadun did not file any SALN from 2010 to 2014.
In its resolution, the Ombudsman said that “Section 8 of R.A. No. 6713 clearly provides that regional and local officials and employees shall file their SALNs with the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman in their respective regions.”
“Respondents, as local elective officials, have the obligation to submit, or at least to make sure that their SALNs are submitted. It is imperative that every public official or government employee must make and submit a complete disclosure of his assets, liabilities and net worth in order to suppress any questionable accumulation of wealth,” it added. (PTR/PNA)