CONVICTED EX-BFP CHIEF CHARGED ANEW OVER HIDDEN WEALTH

Former Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) chief Francisco Senot, who was sentenced to 60 years in prison for estafa and graft in June, is again in hot water for allegedly failing to disclose P2.005 million in assets.

The Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices on Oct. 3 charged Senot with 11 counts of falsification before the Sandiganbayan.

The cases have been raffled off to the antigraft court’s Fifth Division.

Prosecutors accused Senot of “making untruthful statements” in his four statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) for the years 2001 to 2004 by “deliberately failing to disclose” his family’s assets.

These include an P800,000 lot at Camella Homes III in Tunasan, Muntinlupa City, and a P550,000 motor vehicle.

Prosecutors said he should have included these items—both purchased by Senot’s wife—in his 2001-04 SALNs.

Another undeclared asset was a P630,000 vehicle purchased by Senot’s son Derick, which was allegedly concealed from the 2003-04 SALNs.

Prosecutors said Senot also failed to indicate in his 2004 SALN his wife’s purchase of a P25,000 lot in Kapayapaan Village Phase I-A in Canlubang, Calamba City, Laguna.

The Sandiganbayan Third Division on June 29 sentenced Senot to a prison term of 60 to 90 years over five instances of falsifying disbursement vouchers and supporting documents for the repair of a Kia Besta van and an Isuzu Elf truck from June to December 2001.

Prosecutors then alleged that no repairs were actually made and that Senot and another BFP official misappropriated the funds for their personal use.