MANILA – Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Saturday emphasized that access to the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Cabinet officials should only be granted for “legitimate reasons,” citing the need to protect their privacy and security.
This came as Malacañang expressed caution over calls for the public release of the President’s and his Cabinet’s SALNs, despite Marcos Jr.’s earlier openness to making his own records accessible.
“There are guidelines that must be followed,” Bersamin said in a chance interview. “We cannot just allow the indiscriminate freedom to access these SALNs. They contain details that might compromise the safety and security of public officials.”
Bersamin clarified that the Palace is not outrightly denying access to the documents but is implementing control measures to prevent misuse.
“Our rules require that any person requesting a SALN should provide a good and legitimate reason,” he said, noting that even as a former chief justice, he witnessed strict confidentiality measures for the same purpose.
Under the current administration, Bersamin said Cabinet members are required to submit their SALNs to the Office of the Executive Secretary, where they are “entitled to a level of security and privacy.”
He added that while legitimate requests will be accommodated, certain redactions will be made.
“If the reason is legitimate and we are satisfied that it is for a valid purpose, we will provide it, with redactions. That’s normally done,” he explained.
Bersamin warned against turning SALNs into “weapons” for political or personal attacks, saying such misuse could discourage capable individuals from entering public service.
He also questioned why media organizations would need unrestricted access to these documents. “If it’s just for the sake of getting a copy, there are other ways to conduct research,” he said. “The purpose of the SALN under the Constitution is to monitor a public servant’s lifestyle, not to expose personal details.”
The Executive Secretary nonetheless acknowledged that media access could be granted under justified circumstances.
“If journalists can justify their request and prove the necessity, we will allow it,” he said. “It’s not one-size-fits-all; it depends on the case.”
Former Ombudsman Samuel Martires had earlier required written and notarized consent from public officials before any SALN could be released, a rule that critics said weakened transparency.
Lawmakers, however, continue to call for more openness in SALN disclosures, saying these provide a “baseline determination of actual wealth” that can help track illicit enrichment.
President Marcos earlier said he is willing to release his own SALN and will encourage his Cabinet to do the same. “If the Ombudsman or the ICI asks for it, of course, we’ll provide it,” he said.