Lifestyle check? Hontiveros says PBBM should disclose SALN, 'lead by example'
By Dhel Nazario
At A Glance
- Senator Risa Hontiveros said President Marcos can set an example of transparency by publicly releasing his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), following his directive for a lifestyle check in the executive branch.
Senator Risa Hontiveros said President Marcos can set an example of transparency by publicly releasing his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), following his directive for a lifestyle check in the executive branch.
Senator Risa Hontiveros (Senate PRIB photo)
"Kung nag-utos si Presidente ng lifestyle check, magandang halimbawa at pagpapakita din ng pamumuno kung kasamang ibubunyag yung kanyang SALN (If the President ordered a lifestyle check, it would set a good example and a display of leadership if he also disclosed his SALN)," Hontiveros said during the Kapihan Sa Senado forum on Thursday, Aug. 28, when asked if the President should lead the way and “walk the talk".
She stressed that SALNs are public documents and should be easily accessible.
On whether the disclosure should cover the President’s official family, Hontiveros said, “Following on the principle dun sa mungkahi ni minority leader na isama na sa lifestyle check ang asawa, posibleng voluntarily din i-expand sa mga miyembro ng pamilya (Following the principle in the minority leader’s proposal to include the spouse in the lifestyle check, it’s possible to voluntarily expand it to family members as well).”
Hontiveros stated that she's willing to undergo a lifestyle check just so everyone can see her "middle-class lifestyle."
“Willing akong gawin yun. Mas willing pa nga kung sama-sama kami sa minority para ipakita na collective responsibility ito (I’m willing to do that. Even more so if we do it together in the minority to show that this is a collective responsibility)," she said, when asked if she would be willing to make her own SALN public.
"Individually namin gagawin as part of a collective whether yung minority sa Senate or yung buong Senado. Dahil tingin ko hindi lang naman ako mag-isa ay willing nagsimula ng magsalita tungkol doon. Unang-una na yung minority leader ko (We will do it individually as part of a collective, whether as the Senate minority or the entire Senate. I believe I’m not the only one willing to start speaking about this—led by our minority leader),” she added.
President Marcos has ordered lifestyle checks on government officials as part of an ongoing investigation into anomalous flood control projects