By Wilnard Bacelonia
The Marcos administration is showing a stronger drive for accountability and transparency compared with the previous administration, particularly in pursuing cases involving public officials and personalities close to those in power, a law professor said.
Lawyer Howard Calleja made the assessment in a recent interview on One News’ “The Big Story” while discussing accountability issues raised during Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s ongoing impeachment trial.
“Sa Marcos time, talagang mas, tingin ko, mas serious ‘yung accountability, mas serious ‘yung transparency (Under Marcos, I think accountability and transparency are being taken more seriously),” Calleja said.
Calleja, who is also a co-convenor of 1Sambayan, contrasted his observation with the six years of the Duterte administration and the tenure of then-Ombudsman Samuel Martires, questioning whether corruption allegations at the time resulted in sufficient accountability.
He recalled that access to officials’ Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) became restricted under Martires.
“Again, we have to remember, nung time ni Duterte, even the Ombudsman . . . tinago niya yung SALN (Again, we have to remember, during Duterte’s time, even the Ombudsman . . . the SALN was kept from public access),” Calleja said.
In September 2020, Martires issued Memorandum Circular No. 1 limiting access to SALNs filed with the Ombudsman to specified circumstances, including requests by the declarant, a lawful court order in a pending case, or use by Ombudsman investigators for fact-finding.
Martires maintained the restriction in 2021 when calls mounted for the release of then-President Duterte’s SALNs. Duterte had last publicly released his SALN in 2017.
Calleja also questioned the broader anti-corruption record of the Duterte years, citing allegations involving the Department of Public Works and Highways and Bureau of Customs and asking whether these resulted in officials being held accountable.
“What happened during that six years of Duterte? Instead of going after these crooks . . . maraming corruption sa DPWH, maraming corruption sa Customs, etc. Pero may napakulong ba sila at that time (there was a lot of corruption in the DPWH, a lot of corruption in Customs, etc. But was anyone imprisoned at that time)?” he said.
In 2025, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla issued new rules reopening public access to officials’ SALNs and removing the previous requirement for the concerned official’s consent.
Calleja said the current administration’s willingness to allow accountability proceedings to include personalities with political or family connections to those in power contributed to his assessment that the environment has changed.
The Office of the Ombudsman on Sept. 7 filed a plunder case against Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s cousin, over alleged irregularities involving flood control projects.
Malacañang has maintained that those found accountable should face the consequences regardless of whether they are relatives, allies, friends or political opponents.
Calleja said the current accountability efforts should nevertheless be followed through until cases run their course.
