Cebu Citizens Press Council

Ombud still keeps assets report under wraps
By Karlon N. Rama
Sun.Star Cebu, July 3, 2008

DESPITE the commitments made before the Cebu Citizens-Press Council (CCPC) two weeks ago, media still cannot obtain copies of the financial statements of public officials at the anti-graft office.

Sun.Star Cebu checked on the status of its letter-request for copies of the document but was told that Deputy Ombudsman Pelagio Apostol has yet to act on the matter. The letter was sent last April yet.

Apostol, in the CCPC meeting last June 19, said he has long informed the central office about the request. During the dialogue with council members, reporters and editors, the deputy ombudsman committed to release the document within 10 days.

He said he has no intention of blocking or limiting media’s access to the document and only wanted to know first if the rules regarding its release–that the financial papers are open for photocopying by the public at large and may be used as the subject of news reports–have changed.

He denied comments that the anti-graft office is violating its own transparency rules by denying access to the documents, formally called the Statements of Assets and Liabilities and Net worth (SALN).

While he admitted that their guideline allows the release of the SALNs to the media for transparency’s sake, he also pointed out that the guideline was in 2002 yet.

Lawyer Pachico A. Seares, editor-in-chief of Sun.Star Cebu and CCPC executive director, pointed out during the meeting that if there were new policies, the deputy ombudsman would be the first to know. He wouldn’t have to write Manila for updates.

Seares’ concern was shared by other people in the meeting, among them Cebu Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 13 Judge Meinrado Paredes, who noted that the SALN is important for public information.

Closed doors

“If you become strict in the release of the SALNs, you are discouraging the filing of Republic Act 1379 cases from the people,” he said.

RA 1379 forfeits in favor of the state any property found to have been unlawfully acquired by any public officer or employee.

A reporter pointed out that Section 5 (e) of Republic Act 6770, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials, declares it a duty of public officials and employees to “make documents accessible to the public.”

The provision continues:  “All public documents must be made accessible to and readily available for inspection by the public within reasonable working hours.”

RA 6770 is a special law that the anti-graft office is specifically tasked to uphold.