Zarate challenges Duterte, Cabinet to release SALNs

Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate on Wednesday challenged President Rodrigo Duterte and Cabinet officials to release their Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

Zarate made the remark following the release of an in-depth analysis of the so-called “Pandora Papers," a supposed leak of financial records revealing assets held offshore by politicians, businessmen and celebrities worldwide.

"If you are not hiding anything, do not wait until your names are later on included in the Pandora Papers or on other similar exposé on the hidden wealth of the greedy, powerful, rich or corrupt persons," Zarate said in a statement.

"Dapat ilabas na ni President Duterte at ng kaniyang buong gabinete ang kanilang mga SALN para patunayan na 'di sila nagpayaman habang nasa posisyon o 'di kaya ay may tinatagong yaman," he added.

Earlier, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) in collaboration with Rappler and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) published an in-depth analysis of the Pandora Papers.

The PCIJ's report alleged that Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade is keeping an offshore firm while occupying government positions. He has said that he included it in his SALN.

"Secretary Tugade, for instance, claimed that he declared his offshore companies in his SALN yet he did not list down the details, not even the names of these companies. For full transparency, it would be even better if they also sign a waiver to have their bank accounts scrutinized aside from releasing their SALN," Zarate said.

"As it is now,  people cannot be blamed for thinking that Duterte and his cohorts enriched themselves in power and that is why they are hiding their SALNs up till now," he added.

Zarate said the leak of financial records of Filipino officials is a throwback on how the late President Ferdinand Marcos and his cronies tried to hide their ill-gotten wealth.

"Dubious schemes to hide one's assets and liabilities are also badges of corruption, as shown for instance on how the Dictator Marcos and his cronies were able to amass hidden wealth, a large part of it yet to be recovered by the government," Zarate said.

"With the son of the former dictator and the Dutertes' gunning for the two highest offices, this plunderous scheme may even get worse under a dictatorannical regime, if the people would do nothing to stop them," he added.

Further, he said, full transparency and accountability from government officials, either elected or appointed, should be made a core issue in the 2022 elections.

"Otherwise, many unscrupulous ones would continue to enrich themselves with impunity,  to the detriment of the people, just like what happened during the hated Marcos dictatorship. We should never let this happen again."

The Palace has said that Duterte has filed his SALN and that it is up to the Office of the Ombudsman to release it. The office has said that it will not release public officials' SALNS without their consent. — BM, GMA News