Palace defends Ombudsman for issuing guidelines on SALN

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang defended the Ombudsman yesterday against accusations that it was protecting the First Family when it ordered restrictions on the release of the statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) of public officials.

“What you have is a mere suspicion, rumor or report with no evidence behind it,” deputy presidential spokesperson Gary Olivar said.

“I see no reason to doubt the integrity of a constitutionally separate body like the Ombudsman,” Olivar said.

The Ombudsman’s order came on the heels of Vera Files reports regarding the unexplained wealth of presidential son and Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo. The reports also said Mikey failed to declare in his SALN a huge beachfront house in California.

His SALN also reflected a considerable rise in his assets and income since his election as vice governor of Pampanga in 2001.

Mikey earlier said generous wedding gifts and campaign contributions explained the sharp rise in his wealth.

Later, he said his marriage to his rich wife, second cousin Angela Montenegro, boosted his wealth.

Earlier, the Office of the Ombudsman, headed by Merceditas Gutierrez, a law classmate of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, said it had to issue the restrictions because information in the SALNs are being used to harass some officials.

“I see no reason to believe that the Ombudsman is not acting purely within her designated capacity in terms of, in this case, governing the availability of information like this or setting up procedures for the release of information like this to the general public,” Olivar said.

A militant group of government workers has filed a graft case with the Ombudsman against Mikey in connection with his alleged unexplained wealth.

Olivar said the issue is likely to affect Mikey’s mother, the President, although she is aware of the limitations of her office and will not interfere.

“The President, I would imagine, feels for her son. Of course she is a mother and she is worried, she is concerned,” Olivar said in Filipino.

“I’m not sure what more the President can do as the mother of the congressman because Congressman Arroyo is a fully-grown adult. He is a sitting member of Congress, he has his own life, his own career, his own identity,” Olivar said.

“I think that we can expect the President to act as required by her office and that is with respect to anybody, including members of her own family,” he added.

Bill okay pushed

As protests greeted the Ombudsman’s order, Jesus Is Lord (JIL) founder Bro. Eddie Villanueva called for the immediate passage of the Access to Information Bill.

“Free access to public documents, including the SALN of every public official, ensures transparency in government,” Villanueva, who is also the standard-bearer of Bangon Pilipinas, said in a statement.

“While it will not completely eliminate corruption, it will definitely lessen the incidence of misconduct within the bureaucracy and among public servants,” Villanueva added.

He described the Ombudsman’s new policy as “a distorted impression of transparency and accountability.”

“This bill is a very good measure that has the potential of saving millions, if not billions, of government funds,” he said. – With Evelyn Macairan