The Office of the Ombudsman on Tuesday released a memorandum order setting new guidelines for public access of all Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) of public officials, reversing the restrictions established by the previous administration.
Newly appointed Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said the office reopened public access to SALNs to battle against corruption and abuse of authority.
“The public has a legitimate right to know how those in government acquire and manage their wealth. Transparency in this area is not a slogan,” Clavano said.
Under the enactment of the memorandum, the public now has access to SALNs of those who are within the Ombudsman’s repository, including the President, Vice President, local government officials, and officers of Constitutional Commissions.
While these new guidelines expand public accessibility, they also require privacy by redacting certain details to protect the privacy of the declarant.
In the circular, requests for copies of SALNs will be generally granted, except in the following cases:
- The Office of the Ombudsman is not the official repository;
- The requested SALN is not on file;
- The request is for commercial or unauthorized purposes;
- The requesting party has a record of misuse;
- The request is related to a pending case intended to influence or harass;
- There is evidence of extortion or threats to safety;
- The identity of the requester is falsified; or
- The request violates law, morals, or public policy.
The newly released memorandum reverses the previous circular put in place by former Ombudsman Samuel Martires during his tenure, in which SALNs are to be furnished if there is a notarized letter of authority or from the declarant.
The said circular will officially take effect 15 days after its issuance on October 14.
