P/CSupt. Eugene Martin, the former provincial director of the Benguet Police Office has pleaded guilty before the Sandiganbayan to five counts of Perjury (Article 183, Revised Penal Code) and two counts of violation of Section 8 of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (Republic Act No. 6713).
Assisted by counsel, the accused, with full knowledge of the consequences of his change of plea from “not guilty” to “guilty,” pleaded guilty to the offenses during his re-arraignment on 12 January 2018. The anti-graft court sentenced him to imprisonment of four months to one year and eight months’ imprisonment for each count of Perjury. He was also fined P1,000.00 for each count of violation of R.A. No. 6713.
Records show that Martin omitted the disclosure of several properties in his 2000 to 2005 Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs). Undeclared properties found under his name included a cockpit arena in Pugo, La Union, residential lots in Palina, Pugo, Sto. Tomas, Brgy. Fairview and Quezon Hills in Baguio, a Mitsubishi L200 Strada, and a Nissan Patrol M/T Wagon.
R.A. No. 6713 requires all public officials and employees to declare under oath their assets, liabilities, net worth, business interest and financial connections including those of their spouse and of unmarried children under 18 years of age living in their households. This obligation is complied with through the accomplishment of the SALN to be filed with the chief or head of the personnel/administrative division or unit/human resource management office within 30 days after assumption office; on or before 30 April of every year thereafter; and within 30 days from separation from the service.
Perjury, on the other hand, is the willful and corrupt assertion of a falsehood under oath or affirmation administered by authority of law on a material matter. ###