President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (Mark Balmores)
President Marcos is being careful not to exceed the legal limits when it comes to accessing statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) of lawmakers linked to the flood control scandal, Malacañang said.
While Marcos wants transparency and accountability over the multi-billion-peso flood control anomalies, he respects separation of powers and is mindful of executive overreach, Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said.
"Maliwanag po na ang gusto po ng Pangulo ay transparency and accountability (It is clear that what the President wants is transparency and accountability)," Castro said in a Palace briefing.
The Palace official said the President recognizes the rules of the House of Representatives in terms of SALN access.
This, amid the concern raised by the Office of the Ombudsman regarding the alleged difficulty in obtaining copies of lawmakers' SALNs.
"Pero may kanya-kanya pong rules na sinusunod ang bawat departamento. Mayroon po tayong separation of powers na tinatawag, at kung anuman po ang rules ng House of Representatives or Kongreso patungkol po diyan, iyan po ay iginagalang ng Pangulo (However, each department follows its own set of rules. We have what is called the separation of powers, and whatever rules the House of Representatives or Congress has regarding this are respected by the President)," Castro said.
"Iniiwasan po ng Pangulo na magkaroon ng executive … what you call this, overreach. So, iniiwasan po ng Pangulo na magkaroon ng executive overreach (The President avoids what you would call executive overreach. So he avoids any executive overreach)," Castro added.
According to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, the House has reportedly required plenary approval before releasing the SALNs of several lawmakers linked to the flood control mess.