Maguindanao town mayor charged with perjury

Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao Mayor Datu Ombra Sinsuat Sr. (PNA photo)

MANILA — The Office of the Ombudsman has found probable cause to indict the mayor of Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao province, Datu Ombra Sinsuat Sr., for violating the code of ethics for public officials and for perjury.

A lifestyle check probe conducted by the Ombudsman’s Field Investigation Unit (FIU) in Mindanao discovered that Sinsuat had failed to declare his Ford Expedition, Mitsubishi Pajero, Honda Civic, and Ford Ranger vehicles in his 2009, 2013, and 2014 Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs).

Likewise, Sinsuat failed to declare his relatives working in the government.

In his counter-affidavit, Sinsuat argued that he did not declare the vehicles, as they were no longer usable or have already been sold.

He also claimed difficulty in identifying relatives in government service, as “the Sinsuat family is composed of many members.”

The anti-graft body set aside the respondent’s self-serving contentions and ruled that this cannot be given any weight for lack of controverting evidence.