Ombudsman defends circular on SALN disclosure

THE Office of the Ombudsman reiterated that the issuance of the memorandum circular limiting public access to Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) is in line with the rules on SALN disclosure.

The Ombudsman, under Memorandum Circular 1, series of 2020, requires a letter of authority from the concerned public officials for requests for Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth and Disclosure of Business Interests and Financial Connections filed with it, in instances other than if: the requester is the declarant or the declarant's duly authorized representative; "the request is upon lawful order of the court in relation to a pending case;" and the request was made by the Ombudsman's Field Investigation Office/Field Investigation Bureau/Field Investigation Unit "for the purpose of conducting fact-finding investigation."