Ombudsman to turn over VP Sara's SALN

THE Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday said it will comply with the subpoena issued by the House Committee on Justice for statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) of Vice President Sara Duterte. The committee is conducting hearings to determine whether there is probable cause to impeach her, after it found two impeachment complaints sufficient in form and substance. “Here in the Office of the Ombudsman, any person can request, the public, the general public can request for a copy of SALNs that are with the Ombudsman: the president’s, the vice president’s, those of the heads constitutional commissions and local government unit officials,” Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said. “So, even a simple request would do... And so much more if it is a subpoena. We will comply,” Clavano said. The committee voted on Wednesday to issue a subpoena to the Office of the Ombudsman for Duterte’s SALNs from 2022 to 2025, 2007 to 2013 and 2016 to 2022. The Ombudsman, which is the repository for the SALNs of certain officials including the vice president’s, could provide the SALNs from when she was Davao City mayor and vice mayor. Clavano said they would endorse the subpoena to the Ombudsman’s Mindanao office. Under Republic Act 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, public officials and employees have the duty to “submit declarations under oath of... their assets, liabilities, net worth, and financial and business interests including those of their spouses and of unmarried children under” the age of 18 who live in their households. The law requires the documents to be filed within 30 days after assuming office; on or before every April 30 after that; and within 30 days after separating from the service. Meanwhile, the political party of the vice president’s father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, said they are “alarmed and bothered” by what they described as the “weaponization” of the impeachment process by the House panel. The statement from the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino comes after the defense team of the vice president said on Wednesday that they are questioning the proceedings of the committee, saying that only the Senate has the “sole power” to try impeachment cases.

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