Barangay captain fired for failure to file SALN

By Gina Dizon

SABANGAN, Mountain Province -- Failure to file his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth  (SALN) led  to the dismissal from  service of barangay chairman Willie Bacoong  of Napua for  violation of Republic Act 6713.

From the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman, Bacoong was found  administratively liable for gross neglect of duty with the penalty for dismissal from service together with the accessory penalties of  cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, perpetual disqualification from holding public office and bar from taking civil service examinations.

Said decision followed with an endorsement  from  Gerard Mosquera, Deputy Ombudsman for  Luzon  that the  Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government   implement the decision and issue a  directive  for the dismissal from service of  Bacoong  based on Ombudsman Rules of Procedure in relation  to Memorandum  Circular No. 1 of 2006.

Said decision sprang from a complaint filed by Richard Budod and Juniper Dominguez both residents of  Sabangan, Mountain Province, against Bacoong for  violation of  RA 6713  particularly for neglect of duty  for failure to file his  SALN  for years 2010 to 2016 and include declaration therein his mini dump truck  

The office of the Ombudsman in their decision ruled that the SALNs should have been filed at the office of the Deputy Ombudsman  as required in the Implementing  Rules and  Regulations of  RA 6713.

Bacoong claimed that he filed his SALN at the office of the secretary of Liga ng mga Barangay, Sabangan Chapter though the Ombudsman found that the  SALNS were undated thus showing that these were not received by  said  Liga office.

Violation of RA 6713 further calls for the penalty of imprisonment not exceeding  5 years  or a fine not exceeding  five thousand pesos  or both.