Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla has lifted restrictions on public access to the statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALNs) of government officials to promote transparency and combat corruption. The Office of the Ombudsman stated, “This decision is guided by a simple principle: the public has a legitimate right to know how those in government acquire and manage their wealth. Transparency in this area is not a slogan – it is a safeguard against corruption and a deterrent to abuse of power.”
Under Memorandum Circular 3, SALNs filed with the Ombudsman will be available for public inspection and reproduction after processing and recording, no earlier than 10 working days after the final submission deadline from all agencies. Requests can be filed at any Public Assistance and Corruption Prevention Office (PACPO) at the Central Office or Public Assistance and Corruption Prevention Bureau (PACPB) at area or sectoral offices. The memorandum also covers lifestyle checks, allowing formal complaints with evidence of disproportionate assets to be filed with the Field Investigation Office (FIO).
Requests will be granted unless the SALN is not on file, the request is for unauthorized commercial purposes, the requester has a history of misuse, it’s linked to a pending case for influence or harassment, there’s evidence of extortion or threats, the identity is fictitious, or the purpose is contrary to law, morals, or public policy. Redacted information from released SALNs includes the declarant’s complete home address, details of children in the household, signatures, and government-issued ID numbers.
Requesters must agree to an undertaking to share any “output,” such as news reports, derived from the SALN. Any published or disseminated information must be submitted within five days for monitoring, to verify the request’s purpose, and to investigate potential misuse.
The circular takes effect 15 days after publication.