DOJ checks transport execs' SALNs

The Department of Justice-led Task Force Against Corruption will evaluate the statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth that the Department of Transportation will submit to determine if there are indications its officials might be involved in irregularities. This emerged after Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade conveyed to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra his intention to submit copies of the SALN of their officials to the DOJ-led task force.

According to Guevarra, they would use this information to assess if the SALN could be used to conduct further investigation to check if there were officials of DOTr who committed graft and corruption.

“Secretary Tugade mentioned this matter of submitting SALNs of DOTr officials to the DOJ Task Force during one of our meetings with the President. The Task Force will use SALNs show “We shouldn’t blame anyone because everyone wing assets which are grossly disproportionate to salaries as possible indicators of graft and corruption in the course of investigating officials or employees of the DOTr alleged to be involved in certain corrupt practices,” Guevarra said, in a text message.

The DOTr initiated the move even if it was not included in TFAC’s five corrupt agencies.

Guevarra clarified that the submission by the DOTr of the SALNs of its officials and employees was the initiative by the DOTr.

The five government agencies earlier identified in the TFAC’s priority list were the Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Public Works and Highways, Bureau of Immigration, and the Land Registration Authority.

However, while the DOTr would be providing the Task Force of their SALNs, they would not be requiring the other agencies to do the same.

“We may need the SALN of any government official or employee only if he is involved in a specific investigation being conducted by the Task Force Against Corruption,” Guevarra said.

“We are not requiring other agencies to submit the SALNs of their officials and employees to the TFAC, as we know where to get them should the need for the production of SALNs arise,” he added.