Minority bloc lawmakers hail Ombudsman’s SALN transparency decision

Mambabatas ng Liberal Party Rep. Leila de Lima on Wednesday, 15 October, welcomed the decision of the Ombudsman to allow public access to the Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) of government officials.

In her official Facebook post sharing a news article on the Ombudsman’s decision to reopen SALNs to the public, De Lima emphasized that these documents should be accessible in the first place.

“There is no reason for SALN to be hidden and make it difficult for public release,” De Lima said in Filipino in her social media post.

The lawmaker commended Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla, stating that his actions reflect service to the common good rather than the personal interests of those in power.

“This clearly carries out the Ombudsman’s mandate as the anti-corruption champion — to protect the public interest and promote the common good, not the personal interest of the powers that be,” De Lima said.

Furthermore, Rep. De Lima highlighted that she, along with her fellow Liberal Party lawmakers in Congress, is pushing for the “People’s Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.”

Under this measure, the disclosure of the SALNs of all public officials — including the President, Vice President, and other high-ranking government officials — is mandatory.

“This measure must be urgently passed to strengthen our fight for transparency and accountability. Given the magnitude and depth of corruption in the country, this should have been enacted long ago,” De Lima said.

Under the memorandum signed by the Ombudsman on Tuesday, anyone can request a copy of the SALNs of key officials, including the President, Vice President, heads of constitutional commissions, and local government unit (LGU) officials.

Minority lawmakers in Congress shared the same sentiment, saying the decision was long overdue. The representatives emphasized that they welcome this new policy but will continue to monitor its implementation.

Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio noted that the decision reverses the policy of former Ombudsman Samuel Martires, which he described as an attempt to protect corrupt officials.

“The Martires policy was a deliberate attempt to shield corrupt officials from public scrutiny. By requiring consent from the very officials whose wealth we wanted to examine, they essentially made SALNs secret documents. This was a betrayal of the Constitution and of the people's right to information," Rep. Tinio said.

"We will be monitoring the implementation of this policy closely. Any attempt to delay, obstruct, or water down public access to SALNs will be strongly opposed. Transparency should not be hindered by red tape or technicalities,” he added.

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raine Co noted that the reform in the policy shows that the call for SALN transparency from the youth and civil society organizations has been recognized.

“Transparency is not just about the paper or the process; it’s about ensuring that public officials are accountable to the people they serve. When officials hide their wealth, they hide their corruption. This policy change is a crucial tool in our fight for good governance," Rep. Co said.

Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Sarah Jane Elago stressed that the lifting of restrictions must be accompanied by a genuine commitment to prosecute corrupt officials. Elago challenged the Ombudsman and other relevant agencies to use this reform to go after corrupt public servants.

"Access to SALNs is meaningless if there is no political will to go after corrupt officials. We welcome this policy change, but we challenge the Ombudsman and all relevant agencies to use these documents to investigate and prosecute those who have enriched themselves at the expense of the Filipino people," Rep. Elago said.