QC councilor to possibly face 25 years in prison over SALN problems

An incumbent Quezon City councilor and former barangay chairman of Batasan Hills may face up to 25 years in jail after he was convicted of falsifying his  Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) by the Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 40 of Quezon City.

Chairman Ranulfo Ludovica faces imprisonment of four months to two years for falsification of public documents and five years for each of the five counts of violation of Section 8 of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees or Republic Act No. 6713, according to a press release from the Office of the Ombudsman released Monday.

Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code states that public servants commit falsification if they make untruthful statements during testimonies while R.A. No. 6713 mandates them to file yearly SALNs.

Ludovico was proven to have falsified his 2005 SALN by deliberately failing to disclose his status as the incorporator, director, and stockholder of "Jessa Zaragoza Phenomenal Entertainment" despite having been in the company since 1999, as proven by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

He also had no excuse for failing to file SALNs from 2002 to 2004 and 2006 to 2007.

Ludovico's camp said they have filed an appeal. —Rie Takumi/KG, GMA News