Ex-military general gets jail term due to SALN omissions

MANILA (Updated) -- A retired general of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) was slapped with a six-month prison term after entering a guilty plea in connection with the omissions he made in his 2003 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

The Office of the Ombudsman said retired Major General Reynaldo Alcasid pleaded guilty to the crime of perjury and violation of Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, which established "his guilt beyond reasonable doubt."

Alcasid failed to include in his 2003 SALN a house and lot located at the AFP-Officers' Village Association Inc. in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, and his loans amounting to $62,000.

The Sandiganbayan found Alcasid guilty of both charges in a January 26, 2013, decision penned by Associate Justice Efren De La Cruz, the anti-graft court's First Division Chairperson, and concurred in by Associate Justices Rodolfo Ponferrada and Rafael Lagos.

The anti-graft court, which meted Alcasid the penalty of six months of imprisonment and a P5,000-fine, considered the two mitigating circumstances of voluntary surrender and plea of guilt.

"When there are two or more mitigating circumstances and no aggravating circumstances are present, the court shall impose the penalty next lower to that prescribed by law, in the period that it may deem applicable, according to the number and nature of such circumstances," the court ruling said. (Emmanuel Louis Bacani/Sunnex)