Incomplete SALN defers confirmation of Philippine ambassador to Syria

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InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

MANILA, Philippines - Fresh from convicting Chief Justice Renato Corona for his failure to declare in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) P180 million in foreign and local deposits, senator-members of the Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday decided to defer the confirmation of Philippine ambassador to Syria Nestor Padalhin due to his incomplete SALN. 

During the confirmation hearing, Sen. Francis Escudero told Padalhin that he had received information that the ambassador failed to declare in his SALN a property that he bought in Seattle, Washington. 

Padalhin, formerly the Philippine ambassador to Nigeria, admitted that he bought a three-bedroom property in the U.S. in 1992 with an acqusition cost of US$258,000.

However, the ambassador did not declare it in his SALN because he was still paying for its mortgage. "I had wrong notion that property abroad, which is not fully paid need not to be declared in my SALN," Padalhin said. 

Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile, the presiding officer in the impeachment trial of Corona, lectured Padalhin on the importance of declaring all his assets in his SALN. 

"That's why you people get caught into the net of problems because of that. I suggest that you correct your SALNs so that you will not be asked questions like this one. Even a first year student in accounting will know that," said Enrile. 

Padalhin promised CA members that he would correct his SALN. The commission gave the ambassador until June 6 to rectify his financial disclosures. 

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