SC RULES WEALTH EXCEEDING INCOME CAN BE FORFEITED AS ILL-GOTTEN

The Supreme Court has ruled that wealth acquired by a public official that clearly exceeds lawful income is presumed ill-gotten and may be forfeited, even if registered under relatives’ names.

The ruling stemmed from the case of retired Lt. Gen. Jacinto Ligot, whose undeclared properties, bank deposits, and investments were traced to him despite being listed under his wife, children, sister, and brother-in-law.

The Sandiganbayan had previously ordered the forfeiture of P102 million in properties and P53 million in deposits and investments, finding them disproportionate to Ligot’s declared income.

Ligot and his family claimed the assets were legitimately owned by relatives, but the SC upheld the forfeiture, noting payments and acquisitions were directly linked to Ligot and his wife.

The high court emphasized that registration under another person’s name does not prevent forfeiture when true ownership can be traced to the public officer, reinforcing the presumption of ill-gotten wealth under RA 1379.

Source: PhilNews24 | November 21, 2025