All gov’t officials must declare assets in SALNs, Robredo says

FILE: Vice President Leni Robredo at the Ahon Laylayan Koalisyon Provincial Launch in Iloilo City. (Photo: VP Leni Robredo/Facebook)

Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo on Wednesday, April 10, said all government officials, even those appointed ones, should disclose all their wealth and assets in their Statement Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

“Sa lahat naman po na government officials — kahit nga hindi elected, kahit appointed lang into office — obligado kaming ilagay sa aming SALN iyong tunay na mga pag-aari namin. Iyong pinaka-dapat lang, pantay iyong pagtingin ng batas whether mataas iyong posisyon o hindi (All government officials — even though they are not elected, just appointed into the office — are obligated to list our assets in our SALN. What matters is that everyone is equal in the eyes of the law, whether they are in a high position or not),” she told reporters in Iloilo City.

The second highest official in the land reminded that there were low-ranking government employees ‘penalized’ for not being truthful in what they declare in their SALNs.

“So kung paano ini-apply ‘yung batas sa mga maliliit, dapat ganoon din sa matataas ang posisyon (So the way the law is applied to the low-ranking officials, it should be the same for the high-ranking ones),” she added.

Robredo made these remarks when she was asked in a chance interview to comment on President Rodrigo Duterte slamming the report of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) on his family’s wealth.

The President, in his speech also in Iloilo City last Saturday, said whatever his family earns outside politics is none of anyone’s business.

“Eh ngayon, tinitira kami ng mga anak ko (Now they are targeting my children and me). All about lawyering. Ano ba naman pakialam nila na (What do they care about) what happened to my law office?” he asked.

The PCIJ said in its report that law firm Carpio & Duterte Lawyers, where Presidential daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio and husband Manases are partners, has not been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) since it was established 10 years ago.

It also saw “big spikes” in the net worth of the Chief Executive, his daughter, and his eldest son Paolo during their years in public office.

Duterte, however, blasted those behind the report against him and the first family, claiming that they are being paid to do it.

“Makita mo ‘yung utak ng mga investigative journalism kaya… Pera-pera lang. Binabayaran ‘yan kung ganun kalaki (You will see how those in investigative journalism think. It is all about money, they are being paid with a huge amount if [the story] is that big),” he said.

Both Malacañang and the Presidential daughter shrugged off the report of the PCIJ, with the Palace saying that there is “nothing new” about it as “the President’s wealth, including those of his immediate family members, has been the favorite subject of media reports during election campaign season.”

The Davao City mayor, meanwhile, said she opted not to respond on the accusations against the Duterte family.

“Karamihan naman kasi doon baseless actually, so hindi namin sinasagot. Pero kung meron akong makita na karapat-dapat na sagutin (Most of what is stated there are baseless actually, so we are not responding to it. But if I see something that is worth to answer) then I will answer,” she said.