Candidates in 2022 polls should bare SALN – Chiz

MANILA, Philippines — Candidates seeking national posts in the May 2022 elections should bare their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) in the spirit of transparency and accountability to help voters decide on their choice of public officials who will lead the country, Sorsogon Gov. Francis “Chiz” Escudero said yesterday.

Escudero, who is running for senator under the Nationalist People’s Coalition, said disclosing the SALN could also boost a candidate’s credibility and integrity as voters pick the names they will put on the ballot come election day.

“If voters know the SALNs of those running for national posts, it could help them choose their candidates. I don’t see any reason why candidates should deprive our voters of such if they really want to serve the public,” he said in Filipino.

When he was a senator in 2010, Escudero filed Senate Bill 16, or the Submission of Waiver of Bank Deposits Bill, which sought the mandatory signing of bank waiver along with the filing of the SALN with the Office of the Ombudsman by all public officials and employees. The waiver would give the Ombudsman the authority to look into all bank deposits and investment bonds of public servants here and abroad.

He refiled this bill in 2013 under the 16th Congress and had always submitted to the Senate Secretary his SALN together with a signed waiver on secrecy of bank deposits to set an example to his fellow public servants.

“For greater transparency, we should make our SALNs readily available. If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear,” he said.

Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees requires all government officials and personnel to submit sworn SALN documents within 30 days after assuming office and not later than April 30 every year thereafter. The law also mandates the record custodian to publicly disclose these records.

Public officials and employees need to file under oath their SALN and disclose their business interests and financial connections.

They must also declare the wealth of their spouses and unmarried children under 18 living in their households.

Escudero, however, said the execution of the bank secrecy waiver by public officials, particularly those seeking elective posts, will be “proof of their honest intent in rendering public service and as an assurance against theft of public funds.”

There is an ongoing controversy over the non-release of Malacañang and the Office of the Ombudsman of President Duterte’s SALN. Critics said Duterte could simply voluntarily disclose it to the public.