Belmonte urges fellow lawmakers to disclose their SALNs

House Speaker Sonny Belmonte at the impeachment court. PHOTO BY RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines—Following the decision of the Senate acting as impeachment court to convict former Chief Justice Renato Corona and coinciding with Senator Francis Escudero’s challenge to sign a waiver on public officers’ bank accounts, the question on truthful declaration of statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) is now focused on the lawmakers.

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. explained they have yet to release all lawmakers’ SALNs but maintained that “personally (I) am willing to reveal my SALN.”

He said they would discuss the matter soon, adding they would have to use their best efforts “for everyone to do it.”

Belmonte pointed out that lawmakers will not be forced to sign unconditional waivers on their bank accounts, emphasizing it was up to them whether they would sign or not.

Making public their SALNs was however no big feat for the House prosecution team, its lead prosecutor Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr. said.

SALNs of the House of Representatives’ members have long been sought by the media after the document was highlighted in Corona’s impeachment trial.

The former chief justice’s failure to declare his $2.4 million and P80-million bank deposits in his SALN in the end led to his dismissal from the Supreme Court.