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House postpones release of legislators’ SALN

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THE House of Representatives has decided to postpone the supposed release this month of lawmakers’ Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth as of Dec. 31, 2016, a House official said on Monday.

At a news conference, Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, House committee on justice chairperson, said the House leadership created an SALN review committee which he chairs to handle the deliberations and approval of the rules of the 17th Congress in the release of SALN.

Umali said the SALN review committee would want to finalize first the details of the rules, including that of former House members like Vice President Leni Robredo, a member of the 16th Congress, whose old records on SALN are being requested by some individuals.

“Since I was designated as chairman of the SALN review committee, I want to go by the rules,” Umali said.  

“Having 292 of us here as members of Congress…it is so difficult to deal with each and every complaint that may come our way,” Umali told reporters.

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The Lower House was supposed to release by this time for public scrutiny lawmakers’ SALN as of Dec. 31, 2016. 

Lawmakers were required to submit to the House’s Secretary General’s Office the SALN documents until April 30, 2017.

Umali said the House leadership could not decide yet what rules should govern in releasing the old SALN records of former House members like Robredo, a former representative of Camarines Sur.

As chairman of the SALN review committee, Umali said he still has to decide if there is still a need for plenary approval and publication of the rules upon his panel’s approval of the SALN rules.

But Robredo was no longer part of the 17th Congress, and was not covered by the SALN of lawmakers that should have already been released by this time.

Umali played down talks that the House’s refusal to release the SALN release was to free lawmakers from possible court cases involving SALN.

“It is much better if it is done in accordance with the rules. The rules of the game must be clear to everyone,” said Umali.

Umali also revealed the House leadership would want to integrate Supreme Court rules on SALN requests with the House’s.

“I want to start fresh and I want to start anew. And starting fresh and new means there must be a rule,”  Umali said.

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