Legal expert counters Duterte on SALN: It’s public’s business to know

The people have the right to know about public officials' sources of income outside their government service, a legal expert said on Monday.

"Every citizen has the right to be sure that the President and his family is not corrupt. And the SALN [Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth], proper reporting of the SALN, is an important tool for that," said lawyer Antonio La Viña, former dean of the Ateneo School of Government, in Jam Sisante's report on GMA's 24 Oras on Monday.

On Saturday, Duterte criticized investigative reports scrutinizing his family's law offices.

"Huwag na kami kasi, kami, what we earned outside is none of your business actually. 'Yung may mga negosyo kami, mga law office kami, what the goddamn sh—t?" he said.

The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) claimed that the SALNs of the President and two of his children, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and former Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, showed "big spikes" while they were in public office. — Dona Magsino/BM, GMA News