Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has expressed his willingness to make his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) publicly accessible, contingent upon the Office of the Ombudsman restoring full public access to this critical document.
According to Philippines News Agency, Marcos has indicated support for a return to the previous policies that permitted the public and media to more easily access officials’ SALNs, a practice that was restricted during the Duterte administration. In a media briefing at Malaca±ang, the President remarked, “We’ll follow the old rules. These old rules were suspended in the last administration.”
President Marcos shared his initial surprise upon assuming office at discovering the difficulty in obtaining a copy of the SALN under the existing restrictions. He has welcomed Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla’s initiative to lift these restrictions and stated his readiness to adhere to any procedures that are established. “We’re just going back to the old procedure. My SALN will be available to whoever would like to begin,” he assured.
When questioned about whether he would encourage his Cabinet members to follow suit, Marcos affirmed his support, saying, “Yes, of course.” According to the law, all public officials and employees are required to file their SALNs annually, though access to these documents has been subject to the policies set by the Ombudsman.