THE PRESIDENTIAL palace on Monday said it would leave to the Ombudsman the decision on whether it would release to the public President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s net worth statement.
Presidential spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. issued the statement after Vice-President Maria Leonor “Leni” G. Robredo challenged the President to disclose his net worth.
“The stance of the Office of the President has been clear and consistent: We leave it to the Office of the Ombudsman,” he said.
Mr. Duterte had not disclosed his net worth despite his vow of transparency, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism reported last year.
Since the law requiring public officials to disclose their net worth was enacted in 1989, all five presidents before Mr. Duterte had disclosed their worth year on year without fail, it said.
Under a memo issued by the Ombudsman in September, an official’s net worth report can only be released to his authorized representative or upon a court order related to a case.
The Ombudsman order also excluded journalists from obtaining copies of the statements. — KATA