Friday, February 3, 2023
manilastandard.net
ADVERTISEMENT
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Others
    • Pets
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Technology
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • MS ON THE ROAD
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Others
    • Pets
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Technology
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • MS ON THE ROAD
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
manilastandard.net
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion Editorial

Eroded trust

Manila StandardbyManila Standard
September 20, 2021, 12:20 am
in Editorial
Reading Time: 2 mins read
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Email

"It is Ombudsman Martires who does not know enough about his own job."

 

The Ombudsman in government or in any institution is supposed to be a comforting presence.

The Ombudsman—formerly called the Tanodbayan, or watchdog—is exactly that: Someone keeping watch and making sure everything is done according to the letter and spirit of the law, and flagging anything that might be construed as a violation of the rules.

Under our Constitution, the Ombudsman is empowered, primarily, to “investigate on its own, or on complaint by any person, any act or omission of any public official, employee, office or agency, when such act or omission appears to be illegal, unjust, improper, or inefficient.”

Now comes our current Ombudsman, former Supreme Court Justice Samuel Martires, first putting restrictions on the public’s access to government officials’ Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, and then more recently suggesting that the law be amended to imprison anybody who makes a comment on the SALN of any official.

ADVERTISEMENT

In September 2020, Martires issued a circular saying that SALNs may only be made available if the official in question gives a notarized consent to release his or her SALN, if there is a court order, or if it would be part of a government investigation.

In the past, Martires lashed out at those who pointed out that his personal wealth increased by P15 million from August to December 2018.

And then earlier this month, amid the controversy surrounding the procurement of COVID-related items and apparent misuse of funds, with no less than the President defending the personalities behind the company that won billions of pesos worth of contracts, Martires asked: Why are the people so interested in the SALN of Mr. Duterte?

The President has never made his SALN public despite his declarations of war on corruption.

At a congressional budget hearing, he brought up his wild idea of a five-year jail term for those who dared comment on anyone’s SALN.

He also insulted the media for not knowing enough English to interpret Republic Act 6713 of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

Clearly, it is Martires who does not know enough about his own job.

His words and demeanor have eroded our trust and confidence in a sacred office whose mandate is to ensure honesty and transparency among government officials, from the most powerful to the lowliest. We are at our wits’ end figuring out what to do and where to turn when the watchdog just won’t watch.

Tags: liabilities and net worthOmbudsman Samuel MartiresSALNstatement of assets
ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Standard

Manila Standard

Related Posts

Decongesting the DepEd curriculum

byManila Standard
February 3, 2023, 12:25 am
0
8
Decongesting the DepEd curriculum

After 10 years of implementation of the K-12 basic education program, the Department of Education has conceded its curriculum is...

Read more

It’s sovereign power, ICC

byManila Standard
February 2, 2023, 12:15 am
0
8
It’s sovereign power, ICC

Many have had their eyes and ears up when The Hague-based International Criminal Court granted its prosecutor’s request to reopen...

Read more

Watching nervously

byManila Standard
February 1, 2023, 12:15 am
0
8
Watching nervously

The world continues to be on tenterhooks following reports that Russian forces have fired yet again dozens of missiles at...

Read more

Now things get ‘egg-citing’

byManila Standard
January 31, 2023, 12:15 am
0
8
Now things get ‘egg-citing’

First, we got reports on the unrestrained smuggling of food products like sugar, rice, onions, fish and meat—but no one...

Read more

Joint maritime patrols in WPS

byManila Standard
January 30, 2023, 12:15 am
0
8
Joint maritime patrols in WPS

If the United States and the Philippines are now talking about joint maritime patrols in the West Philippine Sea, what’s...

Read more

More opportunities for Pinoy boxers

byManila Standard
January 28, 2023, 12:20 am
0
8
More opportunities for Pinoy boxers

Games and Amusement Board chairman Richard Clarin recently visited Thailand to watch Filipino boxers fight for regional titles. It provided...

Read more

Print Edition

View More

Recent Posts

  • Sneakers for Makati : AB4.0
  • US expands access to PH bases
  • China: Avoid troubled waters
  • DA told to eliminate middlemen in food chain
  • DSWD eyes food stamp revival to address hunger
  • Grab commits to invest in local
    transport with 500k job potential
  • Gov’t okays construction of cancer center
  • Medalla assures MIF won’t dent BSP finances

Advertisement

Latest News

Grab commits to invest in local
transport with 500k job potential

byVince Lopez
February 3, 2023, 1:20 am
0
8
Riding public to benefit from Grab-MoveIt investment deal, says advocacy group

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has secured an investment commitment from ride-hailing service Grab, which could create 500,000 new jobs. The...

Read more

Gov’t okays construction of cancer center

byVince Lopez
February 3, 2023, 1:10 am
0
8
Vax wastage, infection surge feared in Odette-hit areas

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board has approved the construction of a P6-billion cancer center at the University...

Read more

Medalla assures MIF won’t dent BSP finances

byJulito G. Radaand1 others
February 3, 2023, 1:00 am
0
8
Electric cars gain record market share in European Union

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Felipe Medalla assured senators Thursday that the regulator’s financial strength would not be affected...

Read more

‘Vulnerable to get bivalent vax first’

byWillie Casasand2 others
February 3, 2023, 12:50 am
0
8
Covid-19 misinformation bolsters anti-vaccine movement

The Department of Health said Thursday the government will administer the first batch of bivalent COVID-19 vaccines to vulnerable groups....

Read more

Phivolcs warns of aftershocks from magnitude 6 earthquake

byManila Standard
February 3, 2023, 12:40 am
0
8
Magnitude 5.3 earthquake jolts Batangas

An official of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has reminded those residing near the epicenter of the...

Read more

Advertisement

ADVERTISEMENT
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube

ABOUT US

Manila Standard

Manila Standard website (manilastandard.net), launched in August 2002, extends the newspaper’s reach beyond its traditional readers and makes its brand of Philippine news and opinion available to a much wider and geographically diverse readership here and overseas.

Digital Edition

In tone and content, the online edition mirrors the editorial thrust of the newspaper. While hewing to the traditional precepts of fairness and objectivity, MS believes the news of the day need not be staid, overly long or dry. Stories are succinct, readable and written in a lively style that has become a hallmark of the newspaper.

Download – Today’s Paper

Search

No Result
View All Result

6th Floor Universal Re Bldg., 106 Paseo De Roxas cor. Perea Street, Legaspi Village, 1226 Makati City Philippines

Trunklines: 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Pop.Life
    • Newsmakers
    • Hangouts
    • A-Pop
    • Post Its
    • Performances
    • Malls & Bazaars
    • Hobbies & Collections
  • Technology
    • Gadgets
    • Computers
    • Business
    • Tech Plus
  • MS ON THE ROAD
    • Sedan
    • SUV
    • Truck
    • Bike
    • Accessories
    • Motoring Plus
    • Commuter’s Corner
  • Home & Design
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Construction
    • Interior
  • Spotlight
  • Gallery
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • Events
    • Seminars
    • Exhibits
    • Community
  • Biyahero
    • Travel Features
    • Travel Reels
    • Travel Logs
  • Pets
  • Advertise with Us

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Install Manila Standard Web App

Install App