Manila: Lawmakers on Wednesday welcomed Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla’s decision to lift restrictions on public access to the Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) of government officials. Under Memorandum Circular No. 3, the Ombudsman ordered that SALNs filed by public officials be made available for inspection and reproduction, subject to the redaction of sensitive information such as home addresses and signatures. The directive, he said, is guided by the principle that ‘the public has a legitimate right to know how those in government acquire and manage their wealth.’
According to Philippines News Agency, Senator Bam Aquino commended the move, saying it reinstates a long-standing measure of public accountability that had been restricted since 2020. ‘Alam mo, unang pasok ko pa lang sa gobyerno 24 years ago, meron nang SALN requirement. Nawala lang ito through the past years. Kaya nararapat lang na binalik ito ng Ombudsman na ang mga SALN ay dapat isapubliko (When I first entered government 24 years ago, there was already a SALN requirement. It just disappeared through the years. So it’s only right that the Ombudsman reinstated public access to SALNs),’ Aquino said in a statement.
He added that normalizing transparency should be the foundation of a clean and accountable government. ‘Magandang hakbang ito para masimulan na ang paglilinis ng ating gobyerno. Itong pagiging normal ng transparency mahalaga ito at sana nga isa ito sa mga unang hakbang patungo sa hinahanap ng taumbayan na mas malinis na gobyerno sa ating bansa (This is a good step toward cleaning up government. Making transparency a norm is important, and I hope this becomes one of the first steps toward the cleaner government our people desire),’ he said.
Senator Francis Pangilinan also expressed support for the Ombudsman’s action but called for further disclosure, urging Remulla to release the SALNs of his predecessor, Samuel Martires, who served as a Supreme Court justice before leading the anti-graft body. ‘Unahin niya ilabas yung SALN ni dating Ombudsman Martires mula nung umupo ito bilang Supreme Court Justice hanggang sa pagbaba nito sa pwesto bilang Ombudsman nitong 2025. Baka sakali magkaalaman na bakit tutol ito sa paglalabas ng SALN (He should first release the SALNs of former Ombudsman Martires-from his time as a Supreme Court justice until he stepped down as Ombudsman in 2025. That may clarify why he opposed releasing SALNs in the past),’ Pangilinan said.
Senator Risa Hontiveros likewise lauded the Ombudsman’s move, calling it a reversal of what she described as an ‘unjust, unconstitutional, and anti-people’ policy that previously barred public access to SALNs. ‘I strongly support and welcome the removal of the unjust, unconstitutional, and anti-people restrictions on access to public officials’ SALNs,’ Hontiveros said. ‘May karapatan ang taumbayan na bantayan ang gawain ng mga lider ng pamahalaan, lalo na ukol sa korapsyon at tagong yaman (The people have the right to scrutinize the actions of their leaders, especially regarding corruption and unexplained wealth),’ she added.
Hontiveros said the move is timely amid growing public frustration over corruption scandals, saying it strengthens transparency and accountability. ‘The new rules should be applied equally on all public officials-from the highest to the lowest, past or present-even with reasonable limitations related to personal or sensitive information and security,’ Hontiveros said. The Ombudsman’s new circular will take effect 15 days after publication, reinstating public access to SALNs after five years of restrictions.