Marcos urged to release all SALNs

Longtime advocates of freedom of information are challenging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to swiftly release his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) and order the publication of all his Cabinet members' SALNs.

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Amid a frenzy of exposés on corruption in flood control projects, the Right to Know, Right Now Coalition believes the government must set its eyes on identifying all public officials with financial and business interests in the corruption of public works projects, as citizens "have a right to know the ties that bind."

"The disclosure of massive corruption and wasteful spending of public funds has triggered a floodgate of questions, accusations, and confusion," the coalition's statement on Thursday, August 27, said.

"Among the major questions are: Who are the big fish and real crooks? And how and why did they manage to skirt the law, and milk taxpayers' money by the trillions?" the group said.

OPEN THE RECORDS

The coalition issued six specific challenges to Marcos and government agencies, demanding the immediate release of financial and corporate records spanning from 2021 to present.

The group wants the prompt public release of SALNs from officials and personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and Department of Budget and Management.

DPWH officials from national and regional levels down to district engineers should disclose their assets to complement the flood control project list published by the Office of the President, according to the group.