MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo noted on Sunday that showing one’s statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) is an anti-corruption move.
“Ang daming ibang paraan para ipakita mo na anti-corruption ka. ‘Yung SALN isa ‘yun sa napakalaking dahilan para ipakita mo na bukas ‘yung lahat ng information tungkol sa’king pagpapakita na walang corruption,” Robredo said during the BISErbisyong Leni program.
(There are many other ways to show that you are anti-corruption. The SALN is one of the biggest ways to show transparency that there is no corruption.)
Robredo’s remark came after President Rodrigo Duterte said that he will conduct an audit on the Commission on Audit (COA) should he become the vice president in 2022.
Robredo added that the vice president’s mandate is just succession, saying that her office has just been using creative ways to come up with programs using a small budget.
The vice president likewise said that COA is a constitutional body that was granted its independence from other branches of the government.
“‘Yung pag-audit nakalagay ‘yan sa isang constitutional body… para may independence. Hindi napapakialaman ng ibang branches sa government,” she said.
(Auditing is placed in a constitutional body for independence. Other branches of government cannot intrude in it.)
The country’s second top leader also mentioned that the Office of the President is the most important office when it comes to reducing corruption.
“Kay PNoy noon ang daming bagong mga in-introduce para mabawasan ‘yung corruption. Hindi completely nawala, pero at least ‘yung sistema in place,” Robredo shared.
(During former President Noynoy Aquino’s administration, there were measures introduced to bring down corruption. It did not completely eradicate [corruption], but at least the system’s in place.)
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