MANILA — Former Tawi-Tawi Vice Governor Ruby Sahali Tan on Thursday pleaded guilty before the Sandiganbayan to six counts of violation of Section 8 of Republic Act No. 6713, or the “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees”.
Tan voluntarily pleaded guilty during her re-arraignment with the assistance of her counsel, and after she was fully apprised of the consequences of her plea.
With this development, Tan is deemed to have admitted all the material facts alleged in the information filed against her by the Office of the Ombudsman.
The anti-graft court ordered Tan to pay a fine of PHP5,000 for each count, or a total of PHP30,000, and subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency.
She was indicted after the Ombudsman found that she failed to file her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) under oath from 2007 to 2011, while her 2008 to 2012 SALNs were not filed on time.
Under Section 8 of RA 6713, “public officials and employees have an obligation to accomplish and submit declarations under oath of, and the public has the right to know, their assets, liabilities, net worth and financial and business interests, including those of their spouses and of unmarried children under 18 years of age living in their households.”
It also requires every government official and employee to file the SALN within 30 days after assumption of office, or on or before April 30 of every year thereafter, and within 30 days after separation from the service. (Perfecto Raymundo, Jr./PNA)
