Ombudsman decries 'wiretapping' by PCIJ, mum on Duterte SALN release
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 9:22 p.m.) — Ombudsman Samuel Martires denied giving any interview to the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) about President Rodrigo Duterte's Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).
Last week, the PCIJ released a report about Duterte's failure to release his SALN eight months after the April 30 deadline for the filing of the document.
In the report, journalist Malou Mangahas quoted Martires saying
Statement of @OmbudsmanPh
— Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) December 18, 2019
Samuel Martires on the @PCIJdotOrg story regarding the Ombudsman and the Office of the President's refusal to release the 2018 SALN of Rodrigo Duterte. Martires accuses journalist Malou Mangahas of violation of Anti-Wiretapping Law. | via @marcelo_beth pic.twitter.com/AsAF4Jf2xm
READ: Duterte’s secret SALN: The lie of his FOI
Martires, meanwhile, accused Mangahas of violating the Anti-Wiretapping Law for allegedly recording their conversation when the journalist supposedly did not ask for permission to do so.
According to Martires, he was coming from a "health break" during an event at Diamond Hotel in Manila when Mangahas approached him and identified herself as a GMA reporter.
Mangahas is PCIJ executive director and
"In her first question about the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, I directly said the issue
Martires, however, said he would not have agreed to give the interview even if Mangahas asked for permission.
The Ombudsman said
Journalists often engage news sources like government officials in chance or "ambush" interviews.
READ: PCIJ: Martires interview recorded openly at public forum
In a statement on Wednesday night, PCIJ said that "Ombudsman Martires knew that as a public official with expertise and mandate on the issues raised, he was speaking face to face with a journalist with a legitimate journalistic purpose, on a matter of public interest."
It added that "the conversation occurred in a public space and even with the full knowledge and in full view of his own personnel from the Office of the Ombudsman."
In the same statement, PCIJ pointed out that "Malou was holding her phone to record the interview, in full view of both Ombudsman Martires and Atty. Rawnsie Lopez" and that "was well aware that what transpired was a proper interview, a public conversation between a journalist and a public official, on a matter of public concern."
Martires: I also have duty to protect rights of government officials, workers
Martires also accused the journalist of using him to criticize Duterte's executive order
While he acknowledged that the public
Amidst his tirades against Mangahas, Martires did not answer the issue on the release of Duterte's SALN for 2018.
PCOO Assistant Secretary Kris Ablan earlier said the Office of the Ombudsman's pending guidelines on public access to SALN of government officials delay the release of Duterte's SALN.
"We appreciate that the Office of the Ombudsman will soon come up with the revised guidelines on public access to SALN," Ablan told
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