Ombudsman Martires and accountability of public officials
The Supreme Court has rejected a petition against restricted access to officials' Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth under Ombudsman Samuel Martires.
The high court argues that public access to the disclosures is "not an absolute vested right," Rappler reports.
Ombudsman Samuel Martires says he welcome President Rodrigo Duterte's latest order to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra to probe allegations of corruption in the government
"Given this partnership, there is absolutely no basis to detract or underestimate the laudable objectives of the President in creating the DOJ mega task force. In any case, investigations conducted by the DOJ involving complaints of corruption are subject to the evaluation of the Ombudsman," says Martires in a statement.
"As an independent constitutional body, the Ombudsman assures the public that it will continue to conduct in-depth parallel investigations as to alleged anomalies in the government despite this Office’s limited manpower and the ongoing reorganization to strengthen the bureaus undertaking investigative functions," he adds.
"Mr. Martires, as Ombudsman, you are supposed to side with the people, not with corrupt officials. Do not be a friend of the greedy," Akbayan Chair Emeritus Etta Rosales says in response to Ombudsman Samuel Martires' recent moves to shield public officials from scrutiny.
Martires has restricted access to public officials' Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth and his office has stopped conducting lifestyle checks on officials. He says they are illogical and will not indicate that an official may be corrupt.
He has also said that SALNs have been "weaponized" against politicians.
"The only people scared of their own SALN are people who have something to hide. Only plunderers fear the SALN," Rosales also says in reference to Sen. Imee Marcos' support for Martires' position.
"Marcos speaks of being victimized by the SALN as if she is guilt-free from keeping trillions of pesos stolen from the Filipino people. Who are you to claim it is being weaponized when your mother has been convicted of seven counts of graft and corruption? This so-called 'weaponization' of the SALN is nothing more than the people seeking accountability for ill-gotten wealth by government officials," Rosales also says.
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