SC releases list of those given copies of justices’ SALNs

MANILA, Philippines - To prove that its justices have not been hiding their wealth from the public, the Supreme Court (SC) released yesterday a list of organizations that were granted copies of their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs).

The list issued by the SC public information office showed 14 individuals representing various organizations were given copies of the SALNs of justices since July 2012.

It included a representative of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) who was granted copies of the SALNs of ousted chief justice Renato Corona for years 2002 to 2011 in a resolution of the SC on June 4 last year.

Assistant Commissioner James Roldan made the request for purposes of tax investigation being conducted by the BIR against the former chief justice for taxable years 2002 to 2011.

Ten of the 14 organizations in the list are media outfits that sought copies of the SALNs of justices for 2011, 2012 and 2013 for purpose of reporting to the public.

The three others are law school students from San Beda College, Arellano University and De La Salle University, who were required either by their professors in constitutional law or for their theses.

SC spokesman Theodore Te explained over the weekend that the justices have been complying with requirements on the SALN “but have made these available upon compliance with the reasonable administrative requirements imposed by the Court.”

He said members of media and civil society were able to get copies of the justices’ SALNs, and their contents have already been reported since 2012.

President Aquino recently called on the SC justices to be more transparent with their SALNs.

The justices earlier denied the request of the BIR for copies of their SALNs.

In a resolution last June 17, the high court rejected the request of the BIR for “lack of sufficient basis.”

In her request last February, BIR Commissioner Kim Henares said she intends to use the SALNs “for tax investigation purposes” and “in relation to the ‘Ma’am Arlene’ controversy in the judiciary.”

The SC, however, already concluded investigation on that controversy involving alleged influence peddling in the Court of Appeals and trial courts by a certain “Ma’am Arlene,” and none of the high court magistrates had been implicated.

Henares, who said she would file another request with the SC, said the planned tax probe on justices was an offshoot of the ouster of Corona in May 2012 due to millions of assets not declared in his SALN.

She stressed that the law does not exempt anyone and members of the judiciary should set an example to other public servants: “Now that they’re talking about accountability and transparency, shouldn’t they set the example?”

But the high court has already set its own guidelines for public release of SALNs of justices after the ouster of Corona.