Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña gave a friendly advice to the Marcos administration following news that Malacañang was restricting public access to the statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALNs) of the President and his members of his Cabinet.

"If the Marcos admin is serious in earning the public's trust in its fight against corruption then it has to start in its own backyard," Cendaña said in a statement Saturday night, Oct. 25.

"The executive's decision to add barriers to accessing public officials' SALNs runs counter to the overwhelming demand of our people for accountability and transparency," the House minority bloc member said.

Cendaña reckoned that for public officials to release their SALN to the public was a "basic and fundamental" activity.

The SALN is indeed a weapon and the people should weaponize it against corruption and abuse. Sandata ito laban sa katiwalian at kalasag laban sa pangungurakot. Basic and fundamental ang pagsasapubliko ng SALN ng mga public officials.

(This is a weapon against corruption and a shield against embezzlement. The public disclosure of the SALN of public officials is basic and fundamental.)

Earlier, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla said he was lifting the restriction of his predecessor Samuel Martires, who required the consent of SALN owners before the document could be made public.

In the House of Representatives, Speaker Faustino "Bojie" Dy III responded by voluntarily releasing his SALN, on top of re-forming the SALN Review and Compliance Committee.

"The Committee will continue to perform its mandate as contained in House Memorandum Order No. 17-42 (SPK) dated December 20, 2016, and in the Rules of Procedure in the Filing, Review, and Disclosure of, and Access to, the SALNs of Members, Officials, and Employees of the House of Representatives under Resolution No. 176 adopted on January 30, 2019," Dy said.

Cendaña released his SALN to the public weeks before this.