‘Submit SALNs not later than April 30’

With the deadline just 17 days away, Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella is reminding all city government employees and officials to already submit their Statement of Assets Liabilities and Net Worth.

Under Republic Act 6713 ( Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees), all those in public service are mandated to submit their SALN.

“Elected officials from mayor, down to city councilors must submit their SALNs to the Ombudsman,” Labella said.

All other city employees, on the other hand, must submit theirs to the city Human Resource Development Office, which will be the one to forward the documents to the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas.

Labella warned that failure to submit his SALN on or before April 30 would mean “administrative and criminal sanc- tions” to the government employee.

Section 11 of RA 6713 states that “Any public official or employee, regardless of whether or not he holds office or employment in a casual, temporary, holdover, permanent or regular capacity, committing any violation of this Act shall be punished with a fine not exceeding t he equivalent of 6 months’ salary or suspension not exceeding 1 year, or removal depending on the gravity of the offense after due notice and heari ng by t he appropriate body or agency.”

“If the violation is punishable by a heavier penalty under another law, he shall be prosecuted under t he l atter statute,” he added.

Labella also reminded that aside from submitting their SALNs on time, all government employees should be honest in declaring their assets, liabilities, and net worth to avoid legal complications later on, as the document is filed under oath.

Aside from their assets, liabilities and net worth, government employees should also disclose their “business interests and financial connections and those of their spouses and unmarried children under 18 years of age living in their households.”

“If you lie on your SALN, if you make a false narration of facts, you could be liable to perjury…. Mao ni nadisgrasyahan ni Erap Estrada,” he said.

He was referring to former president Joseph Estrada, whom the Ombudsman charged with perjury in 2007 for under-reporting his assets in his 1999 SALN.