The statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) of a public official is an important tools in ensuring transparency and accountability in government.
This was stressed by Deputy Speaker and Bacolod lone district Rep. Albee Benitez amid the ongoing hearings of the House justice committee being held to determine probable cause for Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment.
“Napaka-importante ang SALN kasi yan ang batayan kung ano ang pag-aari ng isang public official. Dito po natin makikita ang integrity, transparency, at accountability ng public officials. Marami sa atin nagtataka, di ba, paano nila nakuha let’s say yung mga mahal na kotse, mga bahay, kung hindi nila sinasabi sa public kung saan nanggagaling,” said Benitez during a recent television interview.
Benitez questioned the source of the P4.4 billion of inflows into the couple’s accounts and why these were not reflected in Duterte’s SALN.
“Ang SALN is a very important tool para malaman natin kung saan ba nanggagaling ang yaman o pera nila pambili ng mga bagay-bagay.”
In the case of the Vice President, Benitez said that the Anti-Money Laundering Council’s report on her bank transaction records has raised many questions in relation to her declared SALN.
“Well, nakikita na natin sa AMLC report at sa SALN, may mga discrepancy na. Iyong mga bank transactions po niya ay hindi naman nahinto, so bakit wala sa SALN ni-report? So yun lang ang mga katanungan, alam mo na, limited naman kami sa mga probing questions, so ito po ay talagang dapat malaman ng buong taumbayan kung ano ang katotohanan,” said Benitez.
The AMLC last week revealed that bank accounts tied to the Vice President and her husband, Manases Carpio, have been repeated flagged for suspicious and covered transactions worth P6.77 billion from 2006 to 2025.
Benitez questioned the source of the P4.4 billion of inflows into the couple’s accounts and why these were not reflected in Duterte’s SALN.
“Paano po niya makukuha ang ganoong kalaking halaga, eh sa ating nakikita sa SALN niya, sa vested interests niya sa mga businesses niya, hindi naman nagpapakita ng ganun kalaking halaga. So ang tanong, saan nanggaling yung pera?” the solon said.
“Dun lang sa AMLC report eh, malaking bagay na po yun dahil may mga amounts na hindi ma-explain kung saan nanggagaling. Saka remember, ito ay 500,000 and above lang na transaction. Yung mas mababa diyan like 400, 490,000 hindi na sakop sa AMLC,” he added.
“So hindi po natin nalalaman kung ilan ang kabuuang yaman meron si Vice President. So yung bank account niya, hindi natin alam kung anong laman, eh. Ito pong pinapakita ng AMLC ay transaction lang po ito, ito po yung lumabas at pumasok, hindi ito actual bank balance, kumbaga kung ilan ang nasa bangko niya.”
