Dy: Public officials should release SALN to win back public trust

Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III on Monday said all public officials, including members of the House of Representatives, should release the copies of their Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) to win back public trust amid outrage over trillions worth of flood control mess.

“Sa tingin ko naman, sa ngayon, kailangan talaga makita nila ang ating mga miyembro...hindi lang dito sa miyembro ng Kongreso, lahat dapat talaga makita [ang kanilang SALN], magpasa ng SALN ang bawat isa para sa ganun ay talagang maipakita natin sa ating mga kababayan... manumbalik ang pagtitiwala sa atin ng ating mga kababayan,” Dy told reporters in his first press conference as the House’s top leader.

(People really need to see the SALN of the members of Congress and all public officials, for them to submit their SALN, so we can earn back the trust of our people.)

Asked if he will commit to disclose his SALN to the public, Dy replied “Yes. Kung kinakailangan ipakita ang aking SALN (I will show my SALN if the need arises), why not?"

Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees expressly mandates that SALNs must be made available for inspection at reasonable hours and for copying after 10 working days from the time they are filed subject to prescribed regulations.

Likewise, Article 11, Section 1 of the Constitution provides that "public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives.”

But back in September 2020, then Ombudsman Samuel Martires restricted the public’s access to SALN by issuing a memorandum requiring the consent of the public official before granting a request for a copy of the document. —AOL, GMA Integrated News