MANILA -- The Office of the Ombudsman has found probable cause to indict a town mayor for perjury due to his failure to disclose some properties in his 2011 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

In a statement posted on its website Friday, January 6, the Ombudsman said Pikit, North Cotabato Mayor Sumulong Sultan failed to disclose in his SALN an agricultural land, a P1.2-million Toyota Hilux and a P1.3-million Toyota Fortuner.

Under the Revised Penal Code, perjury is committed when the declarant omits to declare material information that is required of him under oath. In this case, “respondent committed the offense when he omitted the foregoing properties in his 2011 SALN with the intent that it should be received as a statement of what was true despite its falsity,” the Ombudsman stated. (Sunnex)