Lito Lapid asks: Do gov't workers really tell the whole truth in SALNs?

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Do politicians or government workers really tell the whole truth in their SALNs? Senator-judge Lito Lapid put that question to an Office of the Ombudsman official on Tuesday as he underscored the document’s importance in holding public officials accountable.

Lapid posed the question to lawyer Karen Batu, the Ombudsman Records Division officer-in-charge, whom the prosecution presented as a witness on Tuesday to testify on Vice President Sara Duterte’s SALN submissions.

“Meron po kasi ako napanood na isang abogado na in-interview sa TV. Ang sabi niya, ewan ko lang po kung tama ito, walang politiko o magsa-submit ng SALN na nagtatrabaho sa gobyerno na totoo," he said.

(I saw a lawyer being interviewed on TV. I don't know if this is true, but he said there is no politician or government employee who submits a truthful SALN.)

"Ang sabi niya, isang kalokohan ‘yan kung magsasabi sila ng totoo. Tama po ba ’yun?” Lapid asked the witness.

(He said it would be foolish for them to tell the truth. Is that correct?)

Looking slightly flustered, Batu chuckled before replying, “Kami po, ako po, nagsa-submit po ako ng totoong SALN ko, Your Honor.”

(I myself submit a truthful SALN, Your Honor.)

Lapid said that many ordinary Filipinos who do not work in government may not fully understand the significance of filing a SALN.

“Alam niyo po, sa tagal ng discussion natin, maraming nakikinig na mga kababayan natin na hindi naiintindihan kung ano ang SALN. ’Yung magsasaka, mga tricycle driver, mga mangingisda," he said.

(You know, amid our discussions, many of our countrymen who are listening do not really understand what SALN is--the farmers, the tricycle drivers, the fisherfolk.)

"Discussion tayo nang discussion dito, ’di natin alam... Halimbawa kami, ang nakakaintindi lang sa SALN, kami lang po, kami mga politiko, ’yung nagtatrabaho sa gobyerno, ’yun lang po nakakaintindi sa SALN,” he said.

(We keep discussing this, but many do not understand. For example, only us politicians and those who work in government understand what a SALN means.)

Lapid then asked Batu about the penalty for a government official who neglects to file a SALN even once.

Batu said this would constitute a violation of Republic Act No. 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, which includes provisions on the filing of SALNs.

“Para malaman po ng ating mga kababayan na ang SALN ay masyadong mabigat sa amin. Lalo-lalo na po kung hindi kami nagdeklara nang tama,” Lapid said.

(I just want our countrymen to know that the SALN is a big deal for us, especially if we fail to declare it correctly.)

Batu testifed on Article 2 of the Articles of Impeachment, which alleges that Duterte accumulated unexplained wealth through:

• failure to fully and truthfully disclose all of her and her spouse’s assets, liabilities and net worth in their SALNs, including her SALNs for 2022, 2023 and 2024; and
• failure to divest herself of, and instead willfully continued, her business interests during her tenure as vice president in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.