President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will follow the guidelines of the Office of the Ombudsman regarding the release of his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), Malacañang said Monday, responding to fresh appeals for greater transparency from lawmakers.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said the President has not opposed the disclosure of his SALN but will abide by the proper procedures established by the Ombudsman. “Wala naman pong pagpigil na ginagawa po ang Pangulo,” she said during a press briefing in Kuala Lumpur, adding that the Ombudsman’s policy has made access to SALNs “more liberal” than in previous administrations.
“Kung ano po ang sinasabi ng Ombudsman, hindi po magpapapigil ang Pangulo,” Castro continued. “Total nandun naman po ‘yung record ng SALN ng ating Pangulo, so ‘yun lang po ang sasabihin ng Ombudsman.”
The statement followed remarks from Mamamayang Liberal Partylist Rep. Leila de Lima, who urged Marcos to “demonstrate sincerity and commitment to transparency” by making his SALN public and encouraging Cabinet members to do the same.
Progressive lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc also criticized what they described as new restrictions on public access to officials’ wealth disclosures. ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio said additional qualifications undermine previous practices when SALNs were “available for public inspection” at the Ombudsman’s office.
Gabriela Rep. Sarah Elago echoed the demand, saying top officials should lead by example in disclosing their assets. “Tama na ang excuses. Ilabas na ang mga SALN,” she said.
Under Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, the office has reversed the tighter access rules implemented by his predecessor, Samuel Martires, allowing easier retrieval of officials’ SALN records. However, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin previously emphasized that controls remain necessary to protect the “security and safety” of public officials.
