Palace says Duterte filed SALN, denies efforts to hide

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte presented his Declarations of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) for the years 2018 and 2019, Malacañang said on Tuesday despite the fact that these documents are not publicly available.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque dismissed the suspicion that Duterte was trying to withhold information from the public, noting that the 75-year-old leader’s first executive order upon taking office deals with transparency.

“What I am sure of is that it has been shelved,” Roque said during a press conference at the Palace.

“I don’t think the president is hiding anything from the public,” he added.

Roque said journalists can request a copy of the president’s SALN through Executive Order No. 1, his version of the proposed Freedom of Information Bill for the executive branch of government.

But despite the order and requests from journalists, the documents have not yet been made public.

Last year, then-presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said that the public disclosure of Duterte’s SALN depends on the Ombudsman’s Office.

According to the country’s statutes, all public officials and employees, whether regular or temporary, must present a SALN.

Publishing the SALN of senior government officials is important to ensure transparency and accountability, as it helps to control the lifestyle of officials.