Statement of OVP on SALN of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte
OVP – The Office of Vice President Sara Duterte clarified that the request for her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) should go through the proper process.
Pres. Bongbong Marcos has ordered a “lifestyle check” among all government officials to start with the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) officials and those who are involved in the anomalous flood control projects funded by the government. Marcos Jr. was left greatly disappointed by several ‘ghost’ and substandard flood control projects that cost millions.
In a press conference, Marcos Jr. previously revealed that the Philippines has already spent over P500-billion on the flood control projects from July 2022 to May 2025. He stressed that it is an “enormous” amount.
In Bulacan, the President found an over P55-million ‘ghost’ Riverwall project. The receipts showed that the said project is already fully-paid but there was not even an ongoing construction when the Chief Executive visited the area.
Pres. Bongbong Marcos flagged 15 contractors for getting 20% of the P545-billion government flood control deals. The following contractors are investigated by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee:
- Legacy Construction Corporation
- Alpha & Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corp.
- St. Timothy Construction Corporation
- QM Builders
- EGB Construction Corporation
- Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc.
- Centerways Construction and Development Inc.
- Sunwest, Inc.
- Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp.
- Triple 8 Construction & Supply, Inc.
- Royal Crown Monarch Construction & Supplies Corp.
- Wawao Builders
- MG Samidan Construction
- L.R. Tiqui Builders, Inc.
- Road Edge Trading & Development Services
On the “lifestyle check” order of Marcos Jr., Vice Pres. Sara Duterte agrees with it but she has additional suggestions. According to the Vice President, the assessment should not be shallow and should not only settle with the presentation of the Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth or SALNs.
According to the Vice President, the probe should be “deep dive” and should include not only the elected government officials but as well as the appointed ones. Duterte also expressed that the lifestyle check should expose the “dummies” of public officials. Based on a report on Abante, the Vice President is currently in The Hague, Netherlands.
However, amid the support of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte on the “lifestyle check” order, the OVP clarified that it will not easily release the SALN of the Vice President. The spokesperson of her office, Atty. Ruth Castelo, stressed that there is a proper process for it.
“On the SALN, if asked to produce the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Networth, meron naman pong procedure para diyan,” the OVP Spokesperson said.
Furthermore, the OVP Spokesperson expressed that civil servants are required to submit their SALNs to the appropriate office and it is where the request for the SALN of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte should be made. Castelo is referring to the Office of the Ombudsman where the President, the Vice President, the chairmen and the commissioners of constitutional commissions submit their SALNs.
“We, civil servants, are just asked to submit it to the appropriate office. Doon po silang magre-request if they want,” the OVP Spox said.
However, amid many government officials supporting the “lifestyle check” order, Senate Minority Bloc member Senator Migz Zubiri issued a warning on the disclosure of the SALN.