Brothers and sisters, the Ombudsman is the sole agency that ensures that our public servants remain true to their duties and not involved in corruption. Recently, Ombudsman Samuel Martires declared that his office will stop conducting lifestyle checks on government officials. Before this, Ombudsman Martires also declared that they restricted releasing copies of the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net worth (SALN) to citizens requesting for copies.
Ombudsman Martires’ declarations will weaken the people’s ability to check or investigate our officials and hold them accountable for any possible involvement in corrupt acts, which we know are rampant in government bureaucracy. And this is not good; this is not right. Until now, those involved in the latest corruption scandal in PhilHealth have yet to be held accountable. And corruption allegations in the Bureau of Immigration have again been given light by what is called the pastillas scheme, wherein members of the agency allow foreigners to enter the country in exchange for money wrapped a la pastillas style. And not long ago, there was a discussion about the Bureau of Corrections, where allegations that some officials are receiving bribes to release high-profile inmates were not yet fully explained or cleared.
Restricting the release of SALNs being requested by the public and stopping lifestyle checks are ways to allow the corrupt to easily hide their unexplained wealth. It is good that the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission declared that it will continue conducting lifestyle checks on government officials.
How important are lifestyle checks, even more when they are backed by the release of the SALNs to the public? Ombudsman Martires justified that anyone has the right to choose the lifestyle they want, whether they wish to buy an expensive car or personal belongings. This may be true, but conducting lifestyle checks and releasing SALNs to the public that asks for them are acts not meant to judge the lifestyle of any official. The matter is, if the officials can explain that the money they spend to maintain their lifestyle comes from their salary or assets acquired through legal means.
If ever the people—and especially the Ombudsman—monitor the lifestyles of officials, it is due to our very high expectations and standards for our officials. This is because in some instances, the money used to sustain their lifestyles comes from the people. Our taxes pay for their salary. This is more important now with the widespread poverty in our country. Even the poor pay their taxes, however small, and it would be an injustice if the officials being paid by our taxes do not explain that they are using their own honest money for the luxurious lives they enjoy. It is clear in Jesus’ teaching to us in the book of Matthew 20:26, “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” Those greatly higher have a responsibility to be more humble and accountable to those they serve.
Brothers and sisters, the problem of corruption is recognized by the Church as a plague that many people suffer from. Pope Francis himself in his Encyclical Laudato Si said that even if corruption violates the law, the weak implementation of the law is the reason why corruption is not stopped. Because of this, he encourages the people to assert public pressure on their leaders in order for them to make stricter rules and policies. Why is it that instead of the Ombudsman seeing the strict implementation of laws, it further loosens it?
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