Palace: Release of Duterte’s SALN up to Ombudsman

Malacañang has referred the release of President Rodrigo Duterte's statements of assets, liabilities and net worth to the Ombudsman.

“We leave that to the Office of the Ombudsman which is a constitutional body tasked with implementation of our laws relating to public officers,” Duterte’s spokesperson Harry Roque said at a news conference.

Asked if a person should file a request for Duterte's consent in order for the Ombudsman to release his  SALNs, Roque said, “If that is what the Ombudsman said, I advise you to comply with it.”

Under the rules, a copy of the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) may be released if the requester is the declarant or his/her authorized representative, if the request is upon lawful order of the court in relation to a pending case and if the request is made by the Ombudsman's investigation units.

The anti-graft body is the repository of the original SALNs of the President, the Vice President and members of constitutional bodies.

Ombudsman Samuel Martires earlier justified the restrictions on public access to SALNs, saying the document could be used to discredit an employee or official of government.

Martires also said that a SALN is not essential to the prosecution of graft or plunder cases. -NB, GMA News