President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday slammed a series of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, saying what his family earns outside of politics is nobody's business.
The series highlighted on the significant increases in the incomes of the President and his children, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and former Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, while they were in office.
“My children and I are being criticized, all about lawyering. What do they care about what happened to my law office?” the President said, in a speech in Iloilo City insisting that he was not required to report what he earned through his own sweat.
“What we earned outside is none of your business, actually,” he continued, ending with an expletive to show his anger and disdain.
Citing the statements of assets, liabilities and net worth of Mr. Duterte, Sara and Paolo, the PCIJ said the Dutertes had an unregistered law firm and shares in other companies that they did not include in their SALNs.
PCIJ also reported that Carpio & Duterte Lawyers, with Sara and husband Manases Carpio as partners, was not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and that its clients included companies that have dealings with the Bureau of Customs.
The President, meanwhile, was a partner at Fabiosa Duterte Cimafranca Carcedo law office but he did not declare his interest in the firm in his SALNs, the PCIJ said.
Mr. Duterte said it was important for politicians to have a fallback like a law firm, given the frequency of elections.
“You have to have a law office because there is an election every three years. And it’s so short. What if you lose this election, where would you go?” he said.
“Our law firms and what happened to our business partnership, it’s not your goddamn business,. It’s my worry. For as long as it’s not the people’s money.”
The President also said his wealth was inherited from his late mother, Soledad Duterte.
“SALN? You didn’t work for that money. Were you the one who earned it? Why should I put it in my SALN?” he said.
With all due respect, what the President earns and owns is very much our business. The law of the land says so.
The Constitution and Republic Act No. 6713 both require all government employees—including the President—to submit a SALN, which is defined as a declaration of assets and liabilities, including business and financial interests, of an official or employee, of his or her spouse, and of his or her unmarried children under 18 years old still living in their parents’ households.
Neither the law nor its implementing rules and regulations mention any exceptions to this requirement, or Mr. Duterte’s novel suggestion that income earned and assets accumulated separate from his work as a government employee need not be reported in his SALN.
The ouster of a Supreme Court chief justice who failed to list all his assets is proof enough that no such exception exists.
In reporting about the wealth of the President and his family, the PCIJ was merely doing its job to keep the public informed. That is part of democracy. Instead of railing against journalists doing their job, the President—famous for “being real” and speaking his mind—should apply the same openness to his financial statements show how transparent his administration really is.