Remulla set to lift Duterte-era SALN access restriction memo
MANILA, Philippines — Newly-appointed Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said that he will lift the restriction on public access to government officials’ Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).
In a press briefing on his first day in office on Friday, October 10, Remulla said that he may issue a memorandum on Wednesday, October 15, on the lifting of the restriction on SALNs.
“Public information yan, hinahanap natin. We're talking transparency, let's go all the way,” Remulla said. (That is public information; we are seeking it out. We're talking transparency, so let's go all the way.)
“Pati kami, kasama kami diyan,” he added. (Even us included.)
However, echoing his pronouncement after his oath-taking on October 9, he said that there is information that may be redacted, which he referred to as “privacy matters.”
Remulla also plans to expand the scope of investigations by crowdsourcing citizen-generated information for lifestyle checks and complaints.
He said the office is moving away from sole reliance on dedicated fact-finding teams, choosing instead to incorporate direct input from the public through an open communication channel.
Access to the SALN was severely restricted during the tenure of former Ombudsman Samuel Martires, as per Memorandum Circular No. 1, Series of 2020.
This policy effectively barred the public and the media from obtaining copies of a SALN unless they first secured a notarized letter of authority from the official who filed it.
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