If appointed Ombudsman, Remulla says he will allow SALN access but with caution

MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that if he is appointed as Ombudsman, he will allow access to government officials' Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

In an ambush interview with reporters on Tuesday, September 2, following the Ombudsman application interview with the Judicial and Bar Council, Remulla said that he will allow access to SALN as long as it will not be used to harass public officials.

"It should not be used for villification purposes, it should not be used for blackmail,...the problem here is that people can be kidnapped if you reveal what is there," Remulla said in an ambush interview.

"So you have to be careful about this information, but it can be done, if it is an investigative report, if it is something that's being done by government agencies.. It can be done, we can provide the SALN, as long as it's with proper safeguard," he added.

When asked what safeguards he would impose if appointed, he said that some information would be redacted and there would be a commitment not to publish details that could cause harm.

In 2020, former Ombudsman Samuel Martires, who retired on July 27, restricted access to SALNs of public officials and limited their release under certain conditions.

Under a memorandum circular, access to SALNs was limited primarily to the official who filed it and officers conducting official investigations.

Requests for SALNs by other parties require a notarized letter of authority from the official, and all requests are subject to evaluation and approval by the Ombudsman's office.

Additionally, physical inspection or photography of the SALNs is prohibited.

Political or apolitical. During the Ombudsman application interviews, Remulla was asked by JBC member Nesauro Firme if he considers himself "political or apoliticial," citing previous political posts and some of his family members' political positions.

He said: "I think that I'm looked upon as a leader more than a politician. I think that's what I provide to the province. I am the most senior among the politicians in our province. And that's why I think that I provide the leadership and the direction of many of our people there."

However, he also said that he could "walk away from politics," citing his experience of his refusal to run for office in 1995.

Prior to his appointment as Justice chief in 2022, Remulla was a representative of the 7th district of Cavite.

His brother, Jonvic Remulla, a former governor of Cavite, is also the Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Aside from his brother, the Justice chief also has children who occupy different government positions in Cavite, which he acknowledged during the JBC interviews.