‘No need for Cabinet members to explain SALNs’

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang does not see any reason to seek explanation from Cabinet members regarding their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).

However, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino clarified yesterday there were no new declarations in his SALN last year.

Tolentino issued the clarification after his net worth jumped from P22.54 million in 2011 to P43.77 million in 2012.

“There is even an asterisk in my new SALN explaining discrepancy as part of full disclosure. Same assets as last year were declared. The improvements were also declared, but were not added since improvements were on a separate page,” he said in a statement.

Tolentino said the Civil Service Commission changed the SALN form this year and “improvements were placed on one column, which necessitated addition.”

The MMDA chief said there were discrepancies on mathematical computation as shown by the footnote in the SALN, “but no increase can be said by mere error in addition (to) an honest mistake using the old SALN form.”