By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet

Cognizant with his earlier directive calling for a “lifestyle check” on government officials as part of a renewed call towards transparency vis-à-vis an ongoing probe into the ‘ghost’ and anomalous flood control projects in the country, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. expressed his readiness to disclose his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) to proper authorities.

This was reiterated by Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro in a press briefing in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, noting that this move by Marcos is in accordance with the Ombudsman’s instructions.

Castro declared, “Unang-una, nagsalita na ang Pangulo at siya ay handa naman pong ibigay at ipakita ang kanyang SALN sa proper authority.”

She added, “At mayroon naman po na tayong rules or procedure na inilahad ang Ombudsman at sinabi din naman dito na lahat ng request for SALN ay pagbibigyan pero may mga certain guidelines na ibinigay ang Ombudsman. So, ang ehekutibo ay tutugon dito.”

The President’s disclosure of his SALN would follow in the footsteps of several government officials who have recently publicized these annual documents outlining the list of properties and other resources that they possess.

Castro, however, warned against the “indiscriminate” use of SALNs as weapons for political attacks or to discredit government officials, echoing Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin’s statement on this move towards ensuring that public servants are living within their means and are spending public funds wisely.

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In the same briefing, the Palace mouthpiece reiterated the Chief Executive’s non-involvement in the crimes against humanity case of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently undergoing trial and imprisoned at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Castro said, in opposition of Duterte’s lawyers who used Marcos’ statements challenging ICC’s jurisdiction to defend their client, “Sa ating pagkakaalam, the ICC will base its decision or order or resolution on the Rome Statute and it will not be guided by the political statements.”

She added, “Kung iyan po ay kanilang [gagamitin] ay depende na ito sa ICC kung papaano nila ito ie-evaluate.”

In a ruling by the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I on Oct. 23, the international tribunal junked the defense’s argument claiming that ICC has no jurisdiction over Duterte’s case because the war on drugs probe only began in September 2021, or two years after the country’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute.

This decision likewise points to the prosecution’s preliminary examination, which was opened in February 2018, as the legal basis for the case to move forward, noting that there is no time limit for ICC to exercise jurisdiction over crimes committed by a state during the period when it was a party to the Statute.

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