MALOLOS CITY – Vice President Jejomar Binay challenged journalists that if they want copies of high officials’ Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth (SALN) they should go to the Ombusdman where it was filed.
This developed after Malou Mangahas, executive director of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), said in a telephone interview that Binay has handed them a copy of his SALN last week.
“The issue here is kung nag-file na kami o hindi,” Binay said in an ambush interview after he spoke at the 113th anniversary of the inauguration of the First Philippine Republic at Barasoain Church here on Monday.
As the second highest ranking elective official in the country, he said that he has filed his SALN at the Ombudsman.
This is compliance with Republic Act No. 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials – which requires disclosure to the public of the actual copies of their SALN.
“Kung gusto ninyo ng kopya, magpunta kayo sa Office (Ombusdman), hindi naman namin sinasabing huwag ilabas yan, di katulad sa Supreme Court,” he said.
Earlier, the PCIJ reported that their requests were not granted despite repeated attempts to secure a copy of SLAN of high ranking officials including those in the Supreme Court, the Ombudsman and the House of Representatives.
The PCIJ even quoted Director Roberto Maling of Congress’ Secretary General’s Office that the Records Management Service would not able to provide copies of the SALNs because the process is “tedious.”
In a telephone interview yesterday, PCIJ’s Executive Director Mangahas said that Binay’s office has already provided them a copy of his SALN as early as last week.
“Noong una, medyo mahirap pero nakuha rin sa tiyaga,” Mangahas said.
Meanwhile, Binay said that releasing the SALN remains a prerogative of the person who owns it.
This in reaction to comments made by some lawyers in the province who called on for Chief Justice Renato Corona to take a leave of absence while his impeachement trial is on-going.
The lawyers who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal said that one of the best examples is when Presiding Senator-Judge Juan Ponce Enrile told Supreme Court Clerk of Court Enriqueta Vidal to submit the SALN of Corona at the impeachment court.
However, Vidal said that disclosure of the copies of the Chief Justice’s SALN will only happen if he will give it to her and order to do so.
