DEPUTY Minority Leader and Quezon City Rep. Chel Diokno on Saturday welcomed Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla’s plan to lift restrictions on public access to the Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) of government officials, calling it a “long-overdue correction” that restores transparency and accountability in government.
“The Ombudsman must serve the people, not those in power,” Diokno said in a statement, noting that the previous policy under former Ombudsman Samuel Martires “weakened transparency” by severely limiting the release of SALNs to the public and media.
“When SALNs are open to the public, it becomes much harder for corrupt officials to hide what they’ve stolen,” he added.
“It’s time for all public servants to open their SALNs and help restore the people’s trust in government.”
Remulla earlier announced that he would issue a memorandum reversing Martires’ 2020 order that restricted access to SALNs unless requested by the official concerned, the courts, or the Ombudsman’s field investigation office.
He said the move is part of his broader reform agenda to make the Office of the Ombudsman more transparent and responsive to the public, adding that the SALNs of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Vice President Sara Duterte, and former President Rodrigo Duterte would be among those accessible starting next week.
