THE Office of the Ombudsman has reminded all government officials and employees to file their Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) Sunday, April 30, the scheduled deadline of the filing.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, in a statement posted on their official website, said all government officials and employees must file their SALN before the deadline. She added that they must also be truthful in accomplishing their SALN for 2016.
Morales issued the announcement in view of the violation cases concerning the filing of the SALN.
The annual filing of SALN is a constitutional and statutory obligation of every public servant in any branch, subdivision, instrumentality or agency of the government, including government-owned and controlled corporations and their subsidiaries.
The 1987 Constitution, Section 8(a) of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees requires the filing of SALNs “(a) within thirty (30) days after assumption of office; (b) on or before April 30, of every year thereafter; and (c) within thirty (30) days after separation from the service.
SALN is a declaration under oath of assets (i.e. land, houses, cash, etc.), liabilities (i.e. personal or institutional loans), and the business and financial interests, of a government official, spouse, and unmarried children under 18 years old still living in the household.
Those who serve in an honorary capacity, laborers and casual or temporary workers, however, are exempted from the SALN requirement. Failure to file the SALN or dishonesty in doing so, warrants suspension of one to six months for the first offense, and dismissal from service for the second offense.
The declaration of SALN has been an effective investigatory and discovery measure in determining ill-gotten wealth as it includes a waiver authorizing the Ombudsman or his authorized representatives to obtain documents from any government agency or financial institutions that may show assets, liabilities, net worth, business interests, and financial connections of a government official or employee.