Palace criticizes PCIJ over SALN report

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang took exception last night to the report by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) citing the alleged failure of the Office of the Ombudsman and the Office of the President to provide the media a copy of the President’s statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) for 2018.

“We take strong exception to the thoughts bordering on innuendo of a few that the failure of the PCIJ in getting a copy of the President’s SALN can be ascribed to the President’s policy on transparency,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

“Such accusation is baseless, if not malicious,” Panelo added.

The President, according to the Palace spokesman, has complied with what the Constitution or law requires – the timely submission of a declaration under oath of his assets, liabilities and net worth.

Neither instrument requires the President to personally and directly furnish a copy thereof to the media or to whoever wants it.

Panelo said there is a mandated procedure under the law to access the same.

“The Office of the President is not the repository of the SALNs of the President,” he added, citing Memorandum  Circular  3  (series  of  2015)

of the Civil Service Commission (CSC), the instrumentality which has the authority to carry out the provisions of Republic Act 6713.

The Palace added that it is the Office of the Ombudsman which is the repository of the original SALNs of the president, the vice president and the constitutional officials.

This circular was reiterated by the Office of the Ombudsman in its Memorandum Circular 1 (series of 2018).

“It is clear, therefore, that it is the Office of the Ombudsman where the said SALNs are kept, and not the Office of the President,” Panelo said as he called on the PCIJ to direct its request to the Office of the Ombudsman.

“The Office of the President cannot dictate upon the Office of the Ombudsman the course of action it wishes to undertake relative to such request, given that the latter is a separate and independent institution that we have no control of,” he added.