SALN form, business acquisition costs tackled in impeachment trial

MANILA, Philippines – The Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) form does not have a section where public officials could list their acquisition costs for their business interests, a records officer from the Office of the Ombudsman said on Tuesday during Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.

Earlier, Atty. Karen S. Batu, Officer-in-Charge, Records Division of the Office of the Ombudsman, testified that though Duterte listed several business interests of which she was the incorporator or stockholder from 2007 to 2012 and from 2016 to 2025, the vice president did not declare any acquisition costs for such. 

But during the senator-judges’ interjection, Presiding Officer Francis Escudero clarified whether the SALN form asks for the cost of acquisitions.

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“Wala rin namang puwang, blanko, table, parte ng SALN para ilagay ang acquisition cost ng business interest sa anumang negosyo,” Escudero pointed out.

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(There is also no space, blank, table, part of the SALN to include the acquisition cost of business interest in any business.)

READ: Escudero OKs showing of VP Duterte’s SALNs from 2007: For baseline only

To this, Batu responded: “Opo. Sa mga business interest and financial connections [section], wala pong nakalagay na para sa acquisition costs.”

(“Yes. In the business interests and financial connections [section], there is no space for acquisition costs.”)

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Later, however, she clarified that acquisition costs must be declared among the public officials’ personal properties.

Senator-judge Risa Hontiveros asked if the declarants must include acquisition costs of stocks if they are shareholders to companies.

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“Kailangan bang ideklara kung magkano yung acquisition costs nung shares na yon sa ilalim ng personal properties, kung shareholder sa kumpanya?” she asked the parties.

(Is there a need to declare the acquisition costs of those shares under personal properties, if I am a shareholder in the company?”)

In response, counsel for the prosecution Atty. James Alih, cited the Code of Conduct for government workers.

“I’ll just refer the members of this honorable court to Sec. 8 of Republic Act 6173, where it states na kailangan po parte ng SALN ang personal property at ang acquisition costs. Malinaw po doon na ang ginagamit po na word ay “and acquisition costs,” he said.

(I’ll just refer the members of this honorable court to Sec. 8 of Republic Act 6173, where it states that personal property and acquisition costs must be included in the SALN. It is clear there that the word used is “and acquisition costs.)

Escudero then asked Alih that if the acquisition of stocks must be declared, where in the form must be indicated.

“Bat wala sa form? Saan ko ilalagay kung gusto ko ilagay… Even if the official wanted to, where and how will he put it when we’re supposed to fill out a prescribed form,” Escudero probed.

(“Why isn’t it on the form? Where would I put it if I wanted to put it… Even if the official wanted to, where and how will he put it when we’re supposed to fill out a prescribed form,”)

READ: VP Trial Day 25: Ombudsman, SEC execs to testify on SALNs, businesses

He further pointed out that if the vice president and vice presidents are not allowed to have business interests, then why does the section exist in their SALN forms.

“Why does this pro forma form not include a line or column for acquisition costs for businesses if that is the requirement of the law?” Escudero clarified.

Alih explained that, based on the prosecution’s position, stocks are considered personal property, reiterating what was stated in the RA 6173.

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In Duterte’s 2021 SALN, the vice president listed among her other personal properties, Manases Carpio’s “shares in businesses and various items.” /gsg