Ex-Bataan board member indicted for non-declaration of properties in SALN

A former board member of the Bataan provincial government has been charged at the Sandiganbayan for his alleged failure to declare four properties in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net worth (SALN) for the year 2007.

The Office of the Ombudsman accused former board member Edward Cruz Roman of perjury as defined and penalized under Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code.

Roman allegedly violated the law when he made it appear that he did not own three real properties and an irrigated rice land in the municipality of Orani.

The properties Roman "willfully, unlawfully and feloniously" failed to state in his SALN include a residential lot covered by Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) No. 244486 and TCT No. 244485 each valued at P14,380, a residential building with an assessed value of P291,530, and an irrigated rice land covered by TCT No. 259214 with an assessed value of P9,210.

The Ombudsman said Roman did not declare the properties in his SALN despite knowing fully well that he should include them as the rightful owner.

"The said accused very well knew that the said statement was false as he owned the aforementioned properties/assets which were registered in his name, there making a willful and deliberate assertion of a falsehood in a sworn statement," the charge sheet read.

A bail bond of P6,000 has been recommended in the case. — BAP, GMA News