Palace: Public can question House SALN restriction

MANILA, Philippines — The public could question the House resolution restricting public access to the statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) of members of Congress and employees of the chamber, Malacañang said Monday.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo issued the statement as the Palace warned that the latest resolution “maybe a transgression of the Constitution.”

“Our feeling is that any additional burden to get the SALN maybe a transgression of the Constitution because the Constitution provides that SALN should be given to the public and also there is the Constitutional provision on accountability of public officials, so that is why we are saying that we hope the House deliberates more on this,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

READ: Palace frowns on House SALN restriction

The newest House restriction on SALN, Panelo said, “may be running the risk of being questioned later on.”

While Palace would “not stop” Congress from making its own move, the Palace official said taxpayers could question the resolution.

“No we will not, we will not stop, we will never interfere with what it wants. We’re just making our thinking on the matter,” he said when asked if the Palace would block the resolution.

But he said, “The taxpayer can do something about it, question it if [it violates] the Constitution.”

He maintained that the resolution would be an “additional burden.”

Despite some saying the move was “repressive,” Panelo said lawmakers should be given the benefit of the doubt.

“Members of Congress are honorable people, so let’s give them the benefit of the doubt. Any doubt on that, then I will suggest that you address your question to them,” he said.

On January 30, the House adopted on second reading House Resolution No. 2467, authored by Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, which would require majority consent to release lawmakers’ SALNs. /je