By: Zabrina Hong
In a statement, Senate Secretary Atty. Renato Bantug Jr. clarified the Senate's rules on the release of the Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth of incumbent senators. (Layout by Zabrina Hong. Photo courtesy of Nimfa R. Ravelo/Super Radyo dzBB and Senate of the Philippines)
The Senate on Monday, Oct. 20, clarified its procedures for releasing the Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) of incumbent senators, aiming to strike a balance between transparency and compliance with data privacy regulations.
Senate Secretary Atty. Renato Bantug Jr. said that the release of SALN summaries will follow Policy Order 2019-001, which outlines the rules for posting or distributing the documents.
Under this policy, the Senate Secretary is authorized to publish approved SALN summaries on the Senate’s official website and provide copies upon request, as long as the request is made using the prescribed format.
However, those seeking access to more detailed information than what is included in the published summaries must submit a notarized request, clearly stating the purpose of the inquiry.
“This is to ensure that the request is legitimate and not intended for purposes prohibited under Republic Act No. 6713,” Bantug explained, citing the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
He also emphasized that releasing any additional information beyond the summaries will require the consent of the senator concerned and will be subject to data privacy regulations.
The Senate’s clarification came shortly after House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III announced that the House of Representatives would soon issue its own rules on public access to members’ SALNs.
Notably, the revised Senate rules have removed the previous requirement for senators to personally authorize the public release of their SALNs.
Currently, only three of the 24 sitting senators have granted public access to their latest SALNs.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian was the most recent to open his SALN for media scrutiny. Although he has not yet handed out physical copies, he said the document would be made available once it is ready for release.
“I told SP Sotto I’m open to releasing my SALN. This isn't the first time we've received such requests. In the past, members of the media have asked for it, and we’ve always provided it, as long as there’s an official request. We don’t deny anyone,” Gatchalian said.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III, on the other hand, directed the media to obtain his SALN directly from the Senate Secretary.
Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday sent reporters copies of her 2024 SALN, becoming one of the few who voluntarily disclosed their full wealth declaration to the public.