Ombudsman reminds gov’t workers to file SALN before April 30

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales reminded government officials and employees on Thursday to accomplish and file their Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) for 2016 ahead of the annual April 30 deadline, which falls on a Sunday this year.

In Metro Manila, April 28 is a special nonworking day due to the ongoing Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit.

In a statement, Morales noted that the annual filing of SALN is a “constitutional and statutory obligation of every public servant in any branch, subdivision, instrumentality or agency of the government, including government-owned and controlled corporations and their subsidiaries.”

Under Section 8 (a) of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees in the 1987 Constitution, government workers are required to file their SALNs “(a) within thirty (30) days after assumption of office; (b) on or before April 30, of every year thereafter; and (c) within thirty (30) days after separation from the service.”

“The SALN has been an effective investigatory and discovery measure in determining ill-gotten wealth as it includes a waiver authorizing the Ombudsman or his authorized representatives to obtain documents from any government agency or financial institutions that may show assets, liabilities, net worth, business interests, and financial connections of a government official or employee,” Morales said.

Failure to file SALN or dishonesty in doing warrants suspension of one to six months for the first offense and dismissal from service for the second offense. /atm/rga