"The Quezon City (QC) Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 40 has convicted former Batasan Hills Barangay Chairman Ranulfo Ludovica, incumbent city councilor, for falsification and breach of conduct in connection with his Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).
A statement by the Office of the Ombudsman on Monday said the court sentenced Ludovica to four months up to two years in prison for falsification case, as well as five years each for five counts of violation of Section 8 of Republic Act (R.A.) No. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees). He was also fined P5,000 for each of the five counts. Ludovica has filed a motion for reconsideration to appeal his conviction.
Ludovica allegedly failed to disclose his business interest in the Jessa Zaragoza Phenomenal Entertainment management where he was an incorporator, director and stockholder, in his 2005 SALN. The prosecution also presented evidence on Ludovica’s alleged failure to file his SALNs from 2002 to 2004 and from 2006 to 2007. The court said the “accused did not give any explanation nor presented anything in his defense [as to]why he failed to file his SALNs for five years.”
