President Marcos ready to undergo lifestyle check – Palace

OVP officials, employees also willing

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos is ready to undergo a lifestyle check and release his asset declaration, Malacañang said yesterday, following calls from lawmakers for the Chief Executive to lead by example amid investigations into anomalous flood control projects.

“All officials, personnel under the executive (branch), including the President, are ready (for lifestyle check),” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said at a press briefing.

Marcos earlier ordered a lifestyle check on all government officials, starting with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which is under scrutiny over alleged anomalies in flood control projects.

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio and House assistant minority leader and Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Louise Co earlier said Marcos should lead by example and be the first to undergo lifestyle check.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros has also urged the President to take the lead and release to the public his Statement of
Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) as well as those of the members of his family.

Asked whether the President is willing to make public his SALN, Castro said: “It’s included in the lifestyle check.”

“If necessary, as we have said... all members of the executive are ready for a lifestyle check,” she said.

Castro also appealed to lawmakers to stay focused on the issue and pursue those involved in anomalous flood control projects.

“Let’s not divert the discussion or politicize it,” she said.

Marcos called for a probe into the flood control projects during his fourth State of the Nation Address last month.

The President has so far inspected flood control projects in Marikina, Iloilo, Bulacan and Benguet and has vowed to run after the officials who earned kickbacks and the contractors who colluded with them.

OVP ready, too

For its part, the Office of the Vice President yesterday said that officials and employees of the OVP are ready to undergo lifestyle checks and drug tests once ordered by Vice President Sara Duterte.

“On the SALN, if asked to produce the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Net worth, we have proper procedure for that. We, civil servants, are just asked to submit it to the appropriate office. They can request it if they want,” OVP spokesperson Ruth Castelo said.

“As we have always been, the Office of the Vice President is very much mindful of the provision in the Constitution that we are all public servants, public office is a public trust and we’re all supposed to live modest lives,” Castelo said.

At the same time, Castelo said that personnel of the OVP are ready to undergo random drug tests if told to do so by the Vice President.

No foreign trips for DPWH employees

In the wake of reports of alleged corruption in flood control projects, the DPWH has suspended the application to travel abroad for personal reasons of its officials and employees until the end of November.

Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan issued the directive yesterday in light of the ongoing validation of the agency’s infrastructure projects.

“In light with our commitment to transparency, accountability and public service integrity, approval of all applications for authority to travel abroad for personal reasons are hereby temporarily suspended,” Bonoan said in a memorandum. Exempted from Bonoan’s directive are personal travels for urgent medical reasons.

Workers in government are required to secure an authority to travel abroad even for personal reasons, based on rules and regulations of the Civil Service Commission.

No exemptions

The President and the First Family should not be exempt from a lifestyle check, according to senators who said all elected and appointed officials should have their SALN publicized.

Hontiveros volunteered to publicize her net worth and “middle class lifestyle,” saying she has nothing to hide.

“If the President ordered the lifestyle check, it’s a good example and show of leadership if he releases his SALN,” Hontiveros said during the Kapihan sa Senado forum on Thursday.

Hontiveros said that all public officials, whether elected or appointed, should lead modest lifestyles and not flaunt their wealth.

“Lifestyle checks are not bad. This will help create an environment of transparency. All of us who work in government are under the directives of the law to live simple lifestyles,” Hontiveros said.

In a Zoom press briefing yesterday, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri said lifestyle checks should cover both elected and appointed officials. But he cautioned against the use of SALNs by politically motivated groups to discredit public officials, especially during elections.

“SALN is a public document and we all submit it. We can release our SALNs, especially if we have nothing to hide. But at the same time, let us also be wary of people using it as a weapon against politicians during elections. We should not abuse the use of the SALN, but transparency is very important,” Zubiri said.

Zubiri called for the creation of a third-party group to probe anomalous flood control projects, the source of kickbacks for colluding contractors and lawmakers as exposed in a privilege speech by Sen. Panfilo Lacson.

For his part, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian supported a lifestyle check for all government officials, not just those with the DPWH.

“I fully support the President’s directive for a lifestyle check of all government officials, not just in DPWH but also in other agencies with large infrastructure budgets. This is a vital step towards restoring public trust and ensuring accountability. We must take the fight against corruption seriously and implement it comprehensively,” Gatchalian said.

In Congress, ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima welcomed yesterday the order of President Marcos to subject all government officials to lifestyle check.

“We support President Marcos’ lifestyle check because that should really be included in what we should monitor in government. It is clearly stated in the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees that all officials and employees of government, including their family, should live a simple life and based on their position and salary,” De Lima said.

Slay try on contractor

Meanwhile, Malacañang denounced the murder attempt on a contractor in Negros Oriental last Wednesday. A contractor was critically wounded after being shot by yet unidentified motorcycle-riding suspects on a highway in Santa Catalina town, Negros Oriental.

“We condemn these acts of violence,” Castro said, adding that the President has ordered the Philippine National Police to heighten peace and order measures. — Emmanuel Tupas, Bella Cariaso, Jose Rodel Clapano, Marc Jayson Cayabyab