MANILA – The Truth and Justice Coalition on Tuesday filed a complaint against Majority Floor Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. before the Ombudsman for his alleged failure to disclose a number of his properties in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).
“Marami po siyang hindi na-declare, may mga baril, may mga sasakyan at may properties. Lahat ‘yon, we saw ‘di na-declare ng maayos(There are a lot of things he did not declare, there are firearms, cars and properties. All of it, we saw were not declared properly),” Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Commissioner Greco Belgica told reporters.
Belgica, who represented the coalition, accused Andaya of perjury and falsification after finding out that his SALNs for 2016 and 2017, where his net worth was pegged at PHP45.65 million, “are exactly the same.”
“His 2016 and 2017 SALNs are one and the same. He basically copied the entire (2016) SALN (for the 2017 SALN),” he said.
This renders the legislator liable for Serious Dishonesty and Grave Misconduct, as well as Perjury and Falsification under Articles 183 and 171 of the Revised Penal Code, Belgica said.
He added that Andaya’s declared cash in bank for 2017 did not increase from the PHP5 million amount in 2016.
“It is very unlikely, if not impossible for this amount to remain the same,” the official said.
Belgica said nine real properties, which appear in the database of the Land Registration Authority, have not been included in Andaya’s SALN, as well as 19 pistols and high-powered firearms registered under his name.
Joining Andaya as a respondent is his wife Marissa Lourdes Andaya, whose signature likewise appear in the legislator’s 2016 and 2017 SALNs.
Among other laws the Andayas allegedly violated were Republic Act (RA) 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and RA 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
Belgica, for his part, urged the Ombudsman to indict Andaya and dismiss him from government service and declare his and his wife’s “perpetual disqualification to hold public office” if found guilty.
Belgica said the coalition is gathering evidence for 15 more cases against other ranking public officials, including incumbent senators and congressmen.
“Those 15 are only initial, the list will grow, all the DAP (Disbursement Acceleration Program) senators and congressmen are included,” he said. (/PNA)
