“It is imperative that every public official or government employee must make and submit a complete disclosure of his assets, liabilities and net worth in order to suppress any questionable accumulation of wealth,”

A revenue collection officer in Pasay City was convicted by a lower court yesterday for allegedly failing to file his Statements, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN), the Office of the Ombudsman said yesterday.

Prosecutors of the anti-graft office have secured the conviction of Dennis Arenas, Revenue Collection Officer I at the Office of the Treasurer in Pasay, for two counts of violation of Section 8 of Republic Act 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees).

As a result, Arenas was sentenced with a one-year prison term for each count and was also ordered by the Metropolitan Trial Court’s Branch 46 to pay a fine of P10,000.

The case stemmed from Arenas’ alleged failure to file his SALN for 2009 and 2010.

Arenas was also disqualified from holding any public office as a result of the conviction.

“It is imperative that every public official or government employee must make and submit a complete disclosure of his assets, liabilities and net worth in order to suppress any questionable accumulation of wealth,” the court said in the decision.

The MTC said further that the ruling should serve as the basis of the government and the people in monitoring the income and lifestyle of public officials and employees in compliance with the constitutional policy to eradicate corruption, promote transparency in government.

The court added that the conviction should serve as warning to ensure that all government employees and officials lead just and modest lives, with the end view of eradicating corruption and maintaining a standard of honesty in the public service.