Ombudsman Central Records department exec also clarifies ‘locating’ SALNs issue
PERSONAL properties in Cebu and in Northern Mindanao make up the bulk of assets of Medellin Mayor Joven Mondigo Jr., who also belongs to the millionaire mayors in Cebu, with a net worth of P2.8 million for 2016.
Mondigo provided Cebu Daily News with a soft copy of his Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) that he submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman.
The SALN of the mayor of Medellin, a town approximately 113 kilometers north of Cebu City, showed that he owned five agricultural lots — four of them in Medellin and one in Sugbongcogon in Misamis Oriental of Northern Mindanao — worth P1.3 million.
The bulk of his assets, which was calculated at P5.2 million, came from his personal properties worth P3.9 million, which included three motor vehicles and several computers. His liabilities all come in loans, amounting to P2.3 million.
Mondigo also owned an internet cafe, and has stocks invested in a general merchandise shop. Both are located and operating in Medellin, Cebu.
Before being elected as mayor of Medellin town, Mondigo served as a member of the Provincial Board (PB), representing the 4th District of Cebu.
One of 10 mayors
Mondigo was also one of the 10 mayors whose SALNs were still being located by the Central Records department of the Office of the Ombudsman, an officer from the department, who asked not to be identified because the officer had no authority to speak on behalf of the department, earlier said.
This was included in the CDN story about the declared wealth of the city and town mayors of Cebu for the year 2015 which was published on September 24.
The part about the Central Records department still locating copies of the SALNs of the 10 mayors has prompted the mayors whose names were mentioned to react. Three of the mayors mentioned responded by providing CDN with copies of the SALNs that they submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman. These are Daanbantayan Mayor Vicente Loot, San Remigio Mayor Mariano Martinez and Medellin Mayor Mondigo.
Liloan Mayor Christina Frasco, who was also named as one of the 10 mayors whose SALNs the Central Records department were still locating, said in a Facebook post that she already filed her SALNs twice, the latest was in June 28, 2017, which was two days before the extension deadline.
Clarification given
But Sarah Jo Vergara, officer in charge of the Office of the Ombudsman Central Visayas Central Records department, said that “locating” does not directly translate to conclusions that these government officials did or did not submit their SALN for 2016.
The Ombudsman’s Central Records department is tasked to store all SALNs submitted before their office.
“When you file a request for a copy of the SALN 2016, and we remarked it as ‘still locating,’ it does not conclude whether or not this official has submitted their SALN,” Vergara clarified.
She also said that the the Office of the Ombudsman could not disclose information to determine whether or not government officials have failed to submit their SALNs unless a copy has been furnished to the individual who requested it.
But there are some instances when the Ombudsman has to locate the SALN of a particular government official, which was what happened to Cebu Daily News when it requested for the copies of the financial records of all 53 mayors in Cebu, she said.
Still locating
As of yesterday, the central records of the Ombudsman in the Visayas said they are still locating copies of the SALN of Frasco, Stanley Caminero of Argao, Jose Antonio Pintor of Asturias, Carmencita Lumain of Badian, Efren Gica of Dumanjug, and Marilyn Wenceslao of Santander, due to the volume of documents being sent to their office.
“We’re the only repository in the entire Visayas region so all documents from Regions 6 to 8, are sent to us. But we only got one regular employee, and one on-call, job-order one, to work on matters pertaining to SALN. This is why we it takes a lot of time to locate some (of the documents),” Vergara explained
December deadline
But she also said that the government officials, who had not yet submitted their SALNs, could still do so until the end of December this year.
“Officials and employees of the government have up to December to submit their SALNs for 2016. So technically, it’s still filing period (despite the deadline being up on April 30, and an extension to June 30 for supporting documents). In turn, our office cannot disclose information whether or not they have submitted these documents unless someone requests for a copy, then there, it may be determined,” Vergara said.