Ombudsman rebuked over non-release of President, VP’s SALNs

Former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales yesterday maintained that the sitting ombudsman has the authority to release the statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) of government officials, including the country’s president and vice president, contrary to the remark of her successor Samuel Martires.

“He, as the ombudsman, has the authority to release the SALNs, the SALNs of the public officials which are filed at the Office of the Ombudsman,” Morales said during an open forum after she delivered a lecture on curbing corruption in government.

Morales was guest speaker at the Jaime V. Ongpin Annual Memorial Lecture at the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Rockwell campus in Makati.

Morales, also a former Supreme Court associate justice, highlighted the importance of the public’s access to the SALNs of government officials in curbing corruption.

“Of course, the SALN is a good indicator whether or not a public official or employee might likely have enriched himself while in government,” Morales said.

Morales initially did not want to respond on the issue of Martires’ non-release of the public officials’ SALNs to the media as compared to the policy during her term.

“You want me to catch the ire of the present ombudsman? Comparisons are odious. So, that’s his policy. Whether it’s correct or not, I keep it to myself,” Morales said.

Under Memorandum Circular No. 6 Series of 2012, issued by Morales, SALNs filed with the Office of the Ombudsman “shall be made available to the public for inspection and reproduction after ten working days from the time they are filed.” Early this year, however, Martires declared that he is suspending the release to the media of the 2018 SALNs of President Duterte, Vice President Leni Robredo and other government officials, saying that his office is currently reviewing and revising its policy on public access to SALNs.

Martires, likewise a former SC associate justice, earlier told reporters that it seems that there is no law expressly giving authority to the Office of the Ombudsman to release the SALNs of government officials to the public.

Martires instead advised members of the media to request the SALNs of government officials from their respective offices – from Malacañang and from the Office of the Vice President in the case of Duterte and Robredo’s SALNs, respectively.

Section 8 of Republic Act 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, mandates public officials and employees to timely file their SALNs stating that “the public has the right to know their assets, liabilities, net worth and financial and business interests, including those of their spouses and of unmarried children under 18 years of age living in their households.”

The Constitution also guarantees the public’s right to information.

“Access to official records and to documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions or decisions, as well as to government research data used as basis for policy development, shall be afforded the citizen, subject to such limitations as may be provided by law,” Article III Section 7 of the 1987 Constitution states.