Marcos to confer with Cabinet on public release of SALNs, says Palace

Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is set to discuss with his cabinet on Saturday the possibility of publicizing each of their Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs), Malacañang said on Friday.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire A. Castro confirmed this amid the recent voluntary disclosures of SALNs by various lawmakers, including Risa Hontiveros, Robin Padilla, Tito Sotto of the Senate, and Kiko Barzaga of the lower house.

When she was asked if the President would do the same, “Tignan po natin kung ano po ang nararapat [Let’s see what’s is appropriate],” Ms. Castro said in response during the palace briefing.

The President earlier said that he would make his own SALN available to any requesting body, such as the Office of the Ombudsman and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which is investigating irregularities in flood control projects.

“We will follow the old rules,” Mr. Marcos told a palace briefing last October 15, just a day after the newly installed Ombudsman Jesus Crispin C. Remulla lifted restrictions on public access to SALNs.

“These old rules were suspended in the last administration, where it was much, much easier to get a copy of the SALN and to examine it.”

Ms. Castro said she did not yet have additional details on what else the cabinet will discuss regarding the SALN, given that the President had already said his SALN is open to the public.

She added that she would likely provide updates on Monday about the details of the meeting concerning the President and Cabinet’s SALN disclosure. — Edg Adrian A. Eva