ILOILO CITY — As far as the Office of the Ombudsman is concerned, the aide of Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. has no unexplained wealth.
This was after the Ombudsman junked the forfeiture complaint against Ruel Von Superio during his tenure as an executive assistant to former governor Arthur Defensor Sr.
Manuel Mejorada, a former provincial administrator and former journalist who is now imprisoned for a libel conviction, accused Superio of obtaining unexplained wealth.
In his 2019 complaint, Mejorada claimed that Superio’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) was indicative of unexplained wealth as he was able to acquire house and lot as well as a new car.
Superio has earlier explained that the properties were acquired via loans for his two sisters.
The Ombudsman also ruled that Republic Act No. 1379 or the Forfeiture Law does not include properties legally acquired directly by a government employee or on behalf of other persons.
But the Ombudsman did note of Superio’s lapse in judgment.
“While there is nothing wrong with accommodating his sisters, his misstep has been declaring the property as his asset in his SALNs without any reservation. Thus, the subject property being legitimately acquired through loans payable in installments out of respondent’s salary and it's true owner being his sisters, the questioned properties could be outside the scope of the forfeiture proceedings under RA 1379,” the Ombudsman emphasized.