Senate won’t implement stricter rules on SALNs — Sotto

Senators have no intention of implementing stricter rules on the release of their Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs).

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the Senate will maintain its present rules which he noted is the same as that of the Supreme Court.

“The Senate has the same formula as the Supreme Court.  Hindi (mag-iimplement ng stricter rules) basta the Supreme Court’s stand on it is the same as the Senate,” he told reporters when sought for comment.

The House of Representatives earlier passed a resolution limiting the information the public can get from the SALNs of its members by redacting several details. The request for SALN should also be approved by the House members in a plenary session.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said that for the sake of transparency, the chamber should make it easier for the public requesting for SALN.

“Kung may transparency, ang mga public official ay magkakaroon [ng] accountability rin sa tao so dapat gawin nating simple, mas mabilis, at mas transparent ang proseso. We also need to balance yung mga nagre-request na ginagamit yun sa pangha-harrass. So puwede naman tayong maglagay ng safeguards,” he said.

“Dadaan pa sa plenaryo—eh kung dadaan pa dun, alam naman nating ang tagal-tagal bago lumabas. In effect, parang ayaw mo na ding magbigay so the process should be transparent, it has to be easy, at dapat mabilis makuha yung official document,” he added.

Gatchalian said the senators have already discussed the matter and decided that they will stick with the present policy.

“Pinagusapan namin ‘yung policy na ‘yun and that’s compliant to the policy of the Supreme Court (SC). Here in the Senate we patterned our policy with the Supreme Court’s policy. We want to make sure ‘yung policy natin dito ay legal at dapat nagko-comply rin sa ibang mga ahensya,” he said.

He said government officials should be ready to make public their sources of income as public servants.

“Kung wala ka namang tinatago, kung lahat naman ay legitimate yung pinanggagalingan ng income mo, tingin ko pwedeng ilabas kung ano ang nakasulat at dineclare mo. Once you declare it, it becomes a public document,” he said.

He said the House resolution goes against the spirit of transparency which is a hot subject especially now that the Congress is discussing the 2019 proposed national budget.

“Ngayon, pinaguusapan natin insertions, budget, pork barrel tapos sasabihin mo pahihirapan namin kayo kumuha ng SALN? Parang hindi naman yata tama ‘yun. I think it has to be simple, the process needs to be clear and transparent. Yun naman yung principle nito eh but then again pag kandidato ka dapat handa ka makita lahat ng assets and income sources mo through your SALN, that should be a standard na to all politikos,” he said.

Senator Grace Poe said it is the right of the public to know the sources of income of their public servants.

“Kapag ang isang Pilipino ay humingi ng impormasyon tungkol sa kanyang mambabatas o sa opisyal na gobyerno, dapat makuha niya ‘yon. Ipalista lang niya ang pangalan niya at anong pakay niya--kahit ano pang pakay ‘yan--karapatan niya ’yon,” she said.

Poe expressed apprehension that a stricter rule on SALN release would embolden those who have ill-motive or source their livelihood from illegal means.

“Ang ikinababahala ko lang kasi ay kung magiging istrikto tayo sa pagpapalabas ng SALN, baka mas lalong lumakas ang loob ng mga ibang may hindi naman maayos na gawain. Okay lang naman na may kakayanan o mayaman ang isang opisyal ng gobyerno basta itong yaman na ito ay galing sa legal na paraan,” he said. — RSJ, GMA News