/PNA
MANILA — Malacañang on Monday reminded lawmakers of transparency and accountability after the House of Representatives approved a resolution calling for stricter rules on public access to the statements, assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALNs) of its members.
The House, in a plenary session on Wednesday night, approved Resolution 2467, which redacts or blackens several details in their SALNs “for security and privacy reasons.”
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that although the Palace will not interfere, lawmakers should not forget that they are obligated by law to release “information on matters of public concern.”
“As a policy, the Executive does not intrude into the internal rules and procedures adopted by the two separate but independent branches of the government,” Panelo said in a statement.
“We note the passage of a resolution of the House of Representatives requiring plenary approval before it may release a copy of a member’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) to the public,” he added.
Panelo, however, explained that the House’s move to redact details in their SALNs might be seen as going against the law.
“Such a procedure may be perceived as a transgression of Article XI of the Constitution, requiring any public official to submit a SALN, in relation to Article II thereof which guarantees the right of the people to information on matters of public concern. Republic Act No. 6713 makes the said document readily available to the public,” Panelo said.
He also emphasized that the Executive Branch continues to operate under Executive Order No. 2, otherwise known as Freedom of Information (FOI), mandating full public disclosure of all its offices.
“The Executive promoted transparency when the President issued Executive Order No. 2 (s. 2016) on the Freedom of Information making effective the people’s right to information within its branch,” Panelo said.
“Any stringent measure which burdens the people in obtaining public information may not be consistent with transparency and accountability of public officials,” he added.
Just days before his first State of the Nation (SONA) address on July 23, 2016, President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed Executive Order No. 2 establishing the first FOI program in the country.
The FOI program allows Filipino citizens to request any information about government transactions and operations “provided that it shall not put into jeopardy – privacy and matters of national security”.
