Malacañang assured that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will not prevent the release of his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), following requests made by several groups to the Office of the Ombudsman.
“Sa Ombudsman? Hintayin na lamang po nila, hindi naman po pipigilan ng Pangulo ’yan. Hintayin po nila ang magiging tugon ng Ombudsman,” said Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro in a briefing.
The statement came after Akbayan party-list and other organizations formally sought the release of the SALNs of President Marcos, Vice President Sara Duterte, former Ombudsman Samuel Martires, and other officials of constitutional commissions.
Castro earlier clarified that the President is willing to make his SALN public, provided it is released through proper channels and in accordance with existing procedures.
Marcos had previously said he was open to disclosing his SALN and would encourage his Cabinet members to do the same in the name of transparency.
The assurance followed the recent issuance of a memorandum by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, which lifted previous restrictions on public access to the SALNs of government officials. The order removed the need for the official’s consent before releasing the requested document, citing the importance of transparency and accountability.
The Ombudsman’s Office serves as the official repository of the SALNs of the President, Vice President, heads of Constitutional Offices, and local government officials.
Under the new guidelines, requests for copies of SALNs may be filed through the Public Assistance and Corruption Prevention Office at the Ombudsman’s central office, or through its regional and sectoral bureaus.
