Speaker Dy willing to release SALN to regain public trust

Metro Manila, Philippines - House Speaker Bojie Dy said he is willing to disclose his statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) if necessary to regain the public’s trust in the government.

In a chance interview on Monday, Sept. 22, the new speaker said his fellow public officials should also be open to release their SALN.

“Lahat dapat talagang makita at maging bukas ang SALN ng bawat isa para sa ganu'n talagang mapakita natin sa ating mga kababayan at manumbalik ang pagtitiwala sa atin,” Dy said.

[Translation: Every official’s SALN should be open for our fellow Filipinos so their trust in us would return.]

“Kung kakailanganin ipakita 'yung aking [If I need to show my] SALN, why not?” the Isabela congressman said when asked if he would commit to release his SALN.

Government officials are under public scrutiny after a number of lawmakers were implicated in the alleged corruption in flood control projects.

Several groups mounted anti-corruption protests on Sunday, coinciding with the martial law declaration anniversary.

READ: Rain or shine, ‘Trillion Peso March’ vs flood control anomalies persists

Flood control probe

For Dy, the House infrastructure committee should send the information it gathered to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) established by the executive branch.

He noted there are public doubts on the congressional inquiry after several Senate and House lawmakers were tagged in the scandal.

“Kung ako lamang ang masusunod, 'yung infra comm, kailangan lahat ng report at kung ano nangyari du'n sa infra comm, kailangan i-submit na namin sa ICI,” Dy said. “Tutal hindi naman pinaniniwalaan ng ating karamihan ng ating mga kababayan kung ano nangyayari dito sa infra comm. Sa tingin ko, mas makakabuti na ipasa na namin sa ICI.”

[Translation: If the decision is up to me, the infra comm should submit all its reports to the ICI. Most of our fellow Filipinos are not trusting the infra comm probe. For me, it would be better if we just concede to the ICI.]

In the Senate, the blue ribbon committee is also conducting an investigation into the alleged anomalous flood control projects.