(Eagle News)–House Majority Leader Fredenil Castro on Friday, Feb. 1, defended the House of Representatives’ adoption of House Resolution 2467, saying access to the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth of the congressmen will actually be made easier thanks to the resolution soon.
In a statement, Castro said in the first place, “requesting parties no longer have to ask the courts to issue a subpoena duces tecum, they merely have to ask and follow simple procedure provided under HR 2467.”
According to Castro, copies of the SALN will also be distributed much earlier under the resolution, saying there was now a deadline within which they should have been distributed.
“Within 20 days after the last day of filing of SALN, the media will have to be given copies of the summary,” Castro said.
He said if a congressman was not cooperating, since consent from the filer of the SALN is needed before it is released under the resolution, the committee or the plenary can overrule his decision.
He said HR 267 went through the entire process, with even the Civil Service Commission having been consulted.
HR 2467 “remains faithful to the principle of transparency” but that accountability “will have to be guaranteed by both the public and the SALN filers,” he said.
He noted that some congressmen have expressed fears they would be blackmailed or extorted from using the SALNs.
“While it is true that we have the obligation to file SALN and observe transparency, we also have to impose responsibility to all so that the rights, welfare and safety of everybody concerned is protected,” he said.
Critics have slammed HR 2467, which has a provision that says majority of the House in plenary session, or over 200 members, should vote in favor of the release of a SALN of House members, officials, and employees before it can be released.
Critics also assailed the P300 additional fee for every copy.
