Here’s the response of Malacañang on Robredo’s call about Duterte’s SALN
Malacañang responded to Vice President Leni Robredo’s call to President Rodrigo Duterte to first release his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net worth (SALN) if he’s truly transparent in his fight against corruption.
According to Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque, the Office of the Ombudsman has already secured a copy of President Duterte’s SALN.
SALN is an annual document that all government workers in the Philippines, whether regular or temporary, must complete and submit attesting under oath to their total assets and liabilities, including businesses and financial interests, that make up their net worth.
“The stance of the Office of the President has been clear and consistent. We leave it to the office of the Ombudsman, an independent constitutional body, to release to the public President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement of assets, liabilities and net worth,” Roque said.
Robredo announced in her radio program this weekend that President Duterte must show that he is sincere in the fight against corruption by first releasing a copy of his SALN.
Roque stressed that the President has complied with his duty to submit the SALN in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
Under the 1987 Philippine Constitution and the Ombudsman Act of 1989, the Office of the Ombudsman independently monitors all three branches of the government (executive, legislative, and judicial) for political corruption.
He said anyone who wants to get a copy of President Duterte’s SALN should first ask the Ombudsman’s permission.
However, the Ombudsman issued a memorandum in September 2020 that they would no longer grant access to SALN requests of government officials without the permission of the official they wish to obtain a copy of.
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