The Office of the Ombudsman has remained firm in its new guidelines regarding the restricted release of the Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) of government officials to the public, including members of the media, despite many criticisms made against it.

"The Office of the Ombudsman reiterates that the issuance of Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 1 Series of 2020 is in accordance with prevailing rules and regulations on the disclosure of SALN of public officials and employees," the Ombudsman's statement read.

It added that the circular is solely applicable to SALNs filed within its office and shared these details as reference:

SALNs filed before the National Office of the Ombudsman:

a. President
b. Vice-President
c. Constitutional Officials such as the Chairpersons and Commissioners of the Commission
on Audit, Commission on Elections, and Civil Service Commission
d. Ombudsman and the Deputies

SALNs filed before the Deputy Ombudsman in their respective regions (Luzon, Visayas or Mindanao)

a. Regional officials and employees of the following offices:
- Departments, bureaus and agencies of the National Government
- Judiciary and Constitutional Commissions and offices
- Government-owned and/or controlled corporations with and without original charter, and their subsidiaries in the regions
- State colleges and universities
b. Provincial elective officials and employees including Governors, Vice-Governors and Sangguniang Panlalawigan members
c. City and municipal elective officials and employees, including Mayors, Vice-Mayors, Sangguniang Bayan/Panlungsod Members and Baranggay officials
d. Officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines below the rank of colonel or naval captain
- Lieutenant Colonel, Major, Captain, 1st Lieutenant and 2nd Lieutenant (Army and Air Force)
- Commander, Lieutenant Commander, Lieutenant Senior Grade, Lieutenant Junior Grade and Ensign (Navy)
- Other enlisted officers
e. Officers of the Philippine National Police below the rank of Senior Superintendent
- Superintendent, Chief Inspector, Senior Inspector and Inspector
- Other police officers
f. Officers of the Philippine Coast Guard below the rank of Commodore
- Captain, Commander, Lieutenant Commander, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Junior Grade and Ensign

The Ombudsman clarified that the circular does not apply to other SALN repositories, such as the Office of the President, Secretary of the Senate, Secretary of the House of Representatives, Clerk of Court of the Supreme Court, Court Administrator, and the Civil Service Commission, for government officials and employees not mentioned above.

Before Ombudsman Samuel Martires was appointed by President Duterte in 2018, the media can request for certain government officials' SALNs by writing formal letters of request before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Things changed when the 2018 SALN of key government officials, including that of President Duterte, was not released despite the formal letters of request. When asked for it, Martires told interested parties last year to "course these requests directly to the offices of the officials concerned."

However, the Palace refused to release President Duterte's 2018 SALN and merely passed the buck to the Ombudsman.

Martires signed the memorandum circular entitled "Amended Guidelines on Public Access to SALN of Business Interests and Financial Connections Filed Within the Office of the Ombudsman" on September 1 this year.

He said he made the amended guidelines "pursuant to the provisions of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of R.A. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees."

His decision was contradicted by former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, who said during an interview in ANC's "Headstart" on Thursday morning that Martires must have misunderstood R.A. 6713.

"Anyone can misread or misinterpret the law. So probably he misread the law. I'm sorry about that, Ombudsman Martires. He misread the spirit that animated the issuance of the law," she said.

When asked whether or not Martires is protecting politicians more than he is protecting public interest, Morales responded: "No, I don't think so. I won't put it in that light."