The different interpretations and enforcement of statements of assets, liabilities and net worth disclosure in the Supreme Court and in the Office of the Ombudsman

• Main Authors: Figueroa, Maria Criselda M., Pedayo, Aimee E.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2010
• Subjects: Commercial Law
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/17767
• Institution: De La Salle University

Disclosure of assets and liabilities among public officials has been practiced ever since the 1960's, as a result of the promulgation of the Philippine's Anti-Graft & Corrupt Practices Act (R. A. 3019). The 1987 Philippine Constitution further mandates the duty and the obligation of public officials and employees to disclose their SALNs and their financial affiliations. Through the years, this practice had been modified and at times, even limited, because of the different policies set by different government bodies. The different applications of these policies and regulations have resulted to arbitrariness and to confusion in the application of the statues related to the disclosure of public officials' SALNs. Among the policies that have been questioned recently are the Supreme Court's policy on SALN disclosure of the members of the judiciary and the memorandum issued by the Office of the Ombudsman, Memorandum Circular No. 1 Series of 2009. The paper would show the effects of the different interpretations and policies set forth by the two main government bodies in relation to the laws that were previously enacted. Furthermore, a thorough analysis of the effects of these interpretations to the right to information and the ongoing problem of corruption will also be given emphasis.