Ex-Manila councilor faces SALN raps

A former city councilor of Manila was charged by the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly failing to declare the business interests of his wife in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth or SALN.

Former councilor Roderick Valbuena was charged with two counts of falsification of public documents under Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code.

Based on the charge sheets filed by the ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan, Valbuena “willfully and unlawfully” made untruthful statements in his SALN when he assumed office in July 2010 as well as in his SALN for April in that same year.

The charge sheets were approved by overall deputy ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang on July 26, 2017 but the cases were formally filed at the Sandiganbayan only on Jan. 23.

The ombudsman recommended P48,000 as bail bond.

According to the charge sheets, prepared by graft investigation and prosecution officer Lucielo Ramirez Jr., Valbuena failed to disclose in his SALNs his wife Aileen’s business interests in a restaurant Etchetera Caffee and in a cosmological courier services venture.

The ombudsman said Valbuena also failed to declare his wife’s ownership of a Kia panoramic utility vehicle with license plate number XGP-997.

The ombudsman said Valbuena’s untruthful declaration in his SALNs had caused “damage and prejudice to public interest.”