The Philippine Ombudsman has filed graft charges against three officials of the education department for failing to disclose all their assets after they underwent lifestyle check investigation.
The Ombudsman Office is an independent government office that investigates government officials allegedly involved in graft and corrupt practices. The agency also is mandated to file necessary charges against erring public officials.
Among those to be indicted at the Sandiganbayan Court were Education Department former Western Visayas regional director Jesus Nieves, former education Supervisor Segundina Nieves (Jesus' wife) and education department former data encoder Gwendolyn Sola.
The Sandiganbayan is a special court of the Philippines that tries cases mostly related to graft and corruption allegedly committed by high rank government officials.
Graft and investigation officials of the Ombudsman questioned as to how the Nieves couple and their daughter Gwendolyn acquired a total asset worth P 10.6 million (USD 212,000) from 2005 to 2007 when respondents declared a joint income amounting to P 1.95 million (USD 39,000) only in the same period.
The couple also did not declare their real estate properties in their statement of assets and liabilities that include a commercial lot and a residential lot in Kamuning valued at P 7.6 million (USD 152,000) and P 3.5 million (USD 70,000) respectively.
Gwendolyn on the other hand did not also declare in her statement of assets and liabilities an SUV vehicle that is worth P 1.5 million (USD 30,000)
The Philippine government through President Rodrigo Duterte announced that his administration will focus on anti-corruption drive in the Philippines. Duterte has also fired several of his cabinet ministers after hearing of their alleged link with graft and corruption involvements.
