By Argyll Cyrus Geducos

Malacañang said President Duterte was not required to produce a copy of his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) because it was the responsibility of the Office of the Ombudsman to release it to the public.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo made the statement after the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) said that multiple requests to obtain a copy of the President’s SALN were “tossed back and forth between the Office of the Executive Secretary and the Office of the Ombudsman.”

Duterte’s SALN remained unreleased eight months after the April 30 deadline for filing of the SALN.

In an interview over CNN Philippines Friday, Panelo passed on the responsibility of releasing Duterte’s declaration of wealth and assets to the office of Ombudsman Samuel Martires.

“Alam mo ang batas (The law) requires all of us in the government to file our SALN. Yung kay Presidente at sa iba pang pinuno ng paahalaan ay pagkatapos niya mag-file, nandoon yun sa Office of the Ombudsman. Sa madaling sabi, ang Ombudsman ang magre-release niyan (The President’s SALN, along with other high-ranking government officials, is with the Ombudsman so they should be the one to release it),” he said.

Duterte’s chief legal counsel added that Duterte was not required to produce copy of his SALN to anybody when he was asked for it. He dared those who thought the President was violating the law to file a case.

“The law does not require the filer of an SALN to produce a copy when he is requested to produce it. ‘Yan naman ang sinasabi ng batas eh (That’s what the law says),” Panelo said.

“Yung mga nagrereklamo, eh ‘di magdemanda sila kung sa akala nila may nilalabag na batas ang pangulo ng Pilipinas (then they should file a case if the think the President is violating the law),” he added.

Panelo assured that Duterte filed his SALN and just asked those asking for a copy to go the Office of the Ombudsman.

“‘Di pumunta sila sa Ombudsman. Kung ang Ombudsman hindi pa sila nabibigyan at meron namang sinasabi ang Ombudsman na kasi gumagawa pa ng mga bagong guidelines, eh ‘di hintayin nila ang mga guidelines (They should go to the Ombudsman but if the Ombudsman said that they have not received it or they are making new guidelines, then those asking for it should wait),” he said.

“Ang importante nag-file si Presidente (What’s important is the President filed his SALN),” he added. Government officials are required to file their annual SALN under Republic Act No. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

The PCIJ said that all requests were denied by the Ombudsman because the release of Duterte’s SALN, together with the SALN of other top officials, was put on hold pending the review and revision of the agency’s requirements on the release of the documents.

Wealth has been a controversial issue surrounding President Duterte even when he was still campaigning for the Presidency. His staunch critic former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV earlier alleged that Duterte had hidden wealth.

Early this year, Duterte slammed the PCIJ for releasing a three-part series looking into his family’s wealth. He claimed that a “friendly” country which was tapping and listening to phone calls of Filipinos gave him the information that the PCIJ was paid to do the series.

In its report, the PCIJ said the Dutertes “have all consistently grown richer over the years, even on the modest salaries they have received for various public posts, and despite the negligible retained earnings reflected in the financial statements of the companies they own or co-own.”

According to the President, what his family earns outside politics was none of anybody’s business.

Duterte added that there was no reason for him to reveal where he kept his wealth. He said he will explain he accumulated his wealth when the right time comes.

Malacañang earlier assured that all of Duterte’s assets have been properly declared in his SALN and that not putting the source of his wealth was not against the law. The Palace also challenged Duterte’s critics to show proof that the President’s wealth was ill-gotten.