Politics · Philippines Bureau
SALN forms lack business cost disclosure section, impeachment trial hears
An Ombudsman official testified Tuesday that the standard Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth form used by Philippine public officials contains no field for listing business acquisition costs, potentially affecting financial disclosures in Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment proceedings.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — A records officer from the Office of the Ombudsman told Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial on Tuesday that the SALN form, the primary financial disclosure document required of all Philippine public officials, does not include a designated section for reporting acquisition costs related to business interests.
Atty. Karen S. Batu, Officer-in-Charge at the Ombudsman's office, provided the testimony as part of ongoing proceedings that have scrutinized the Vice President's financial disclosures and business dealings.
The absence of such a field on the SALN form raises questions about how public officials should document the costs associated with acquiring or maintaining business interests, a matter that has become central to the impeachment trial's examination of the Vice President's financial records.
The SALN is a cornerstone of the Philippines' government transparency requirements, mandating that all public officials disclose their assets, liabilities, and net worth annually. The gaps in the form's structure have now become part of the broader debate over adequate financial accountability mechanisms for those in public office.