Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 12) — Supreme Court Justices Estela Perlas-Bernabe and Alexander Gesmundo — both in the running for the SC’s highest post — on Friday said they favor the publication of the statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) of members of the court, subject to conditions.
But Perlas-Bernabe said what should only be made public is the summary of their SALN.
She argued that while she has “nothing to hide,” full disclosures of SALNs can be used to destroy the reputation of a magistrate.
“I have really nothing to hide. It is just that sometimes people tend to criticize or to find ways and means to really destroy the reputation of a justice,” Perlas-Bernabe said during the interview for the top magistrate post.
“And so, I think the summary of the SALN would just be enough,” she added. “And if there are cases or there are complaints then I think the complainant should really file a case in the proper forum.”
For his part, Gesmundo takes no issue with publicly disclosing his wealth as long as the purpose of getting full copies of SALNs must be legitimate.
“Transparency is the rule,” the justice said when it was his turn to be interviewed by members of the Judicial and Bar Council.
“Justices of the Supreme Court are facing certain risk in the performance of their duty, but if the intention of getting details about the SALN is legitimate then there should be no problem in giving them access,” he also said.
Section 8 of the Republic Act 6713 protects the right of the public to access the SALNs and financial and business interests of public officials and employees, including those of their spouses and of unmarried children below 18 who are living with them.
But in a controversial move last year, the Office of the Ombudsman restricted public access to SALNs of government officials. Ombudsman Samuel Martires said these records were being “weaponized” to harm political enemies.
Under Memorandum Circular No. 1, the Ombudsman said a copy of the SALN will be provided to the requester if:
* he or she is the declarant or the person who filed the SALN or the duly authorized representative of the declarant;
* the request is upon lawful order of the court in relation to a pending case; and
* the request is made by the Ombudsman’s field investigation units
Aside from Perlas-Bernabe and Gesmundo, SC Justice Ramon Paul Hernando is vying for the chief justice post. One of them will replace outgoing Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta, who is set to retire a year early and will bow out of the high court on March 27, 2021. Peralta, appointed as the top magistrate in 2019, signified in December his intention to step down on his 69th birthday.
