Sen. Chiz Escudero last week said a forfeiture case could be filed against Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel."Mikey" Arroyo for the manifestly dis-proportionate jump of his net worth from P5.7 million in 2001 to P99.2 million in 2008. The bulk of his net worth was acquired after he became a congressman in 2004.
Under RA 1379, when a public official’s net worth is grossly disproportionate to his salary and other legitimate sources of income, it is enough ground for any taxpayer to initiate forfeiture proceedings, Escudero said.
Cong. Arroyo had disclosed in a television interview that campaign contributions were partly the reason for the increase in his net worth.
According to published reports, Cong. Arroyo, however, only declared campaign expenses of P483,000 in 2004 and P552,876.15 in 2007, when he ran and won as representative for the first District of Pampanga.
"Cong. Arroyo’s declaration makes it unexplained wealth in violation of the law which can subject the property to forfeiture proceedings in favor of government," said Escudero.
"We all know how-ever that Ombudsman Merciditas Gutierrez will not initiate proceedings against Cong. Mikey at this time. Any action will likely languish on her desk," said Escudero.
The senator said that RA 1379, however, provides for a one-year ban on the filing of a petition for forfeiture against a public official before an election year.
Escudero said that Arroyo may have also violated election laws if it can be established that he failed to fully report all campaign contributions in the past two elections.
The Omnibus Election Code requires candidates to file a "full, true and itemized statement of all contributions and expen-ditures in connection with the election" within 30 days after the election.
Escudero has pushed for early Senate approval of a bill requiring all public officials and regular government employees to sign a waiver that will allow the Ombudsman and other agencies to look into their bank deposits.
He said the measure is aimed at maintaining honesty and integrity in the public service by requiring government employees to be open and transparent in all of their financial transactions and dealings.
It covers all public officials and employees, except those who serve in an honorary capacity, laborers and casual or temporary workers.
The measure requires a yearly submission of a waiver in favor of the Ombudsman, the Anti-Money Laundering Council and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to obtain from all financial institutions, public or private, domestic or overseas, information and documents on their financial assets, deposits, investments in bonds and securities.
"If we had this law today, it would be easier to look into the bank accounts of Cong. Arroyo and everyone else who will be elected to public office or appointed to high office," Escudero said. /MP
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