After citing the data privacy law as a reason cabinet members of the Philippine government decided they would black out details of their Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), the Palace will now release an un-redacted version of the documents to the public.
“With the Data Privacy Act in full force and effectivity [sic] this year, data protection officers are obliged to redact items in SALN to protect the right to privacy of all state workers, including cabinet members. This is consistent with global data protection regulations,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella told reporters with conviction last week.
But unfortunately for these cabinet members, their interpretation of the Data Privacy Act was incorrect.
National Privacy Commission deputy commissioner Ivy Patdu said in a media briefing today that details pertaining to a government official’s assets, liabilities, and net worth should not be redacted from the SALN.
This concern was raised last week after the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), who routinely requests for SALNs of government officials, found portions of these statements from Palace officials blacked out.
The SALN is a public document used to check if government officials have unexplained wealth.
“If it’s a question of assets, liabilities, and net worth, then of course, that should not be redacted. That is part of what is mandated to be included in any disclosure of the SALN form,” she said.
The PCIJ said this is the first time they’ve received redacted SALNs from government officials.
Senator Grace Poe told cabinet members through the media yesterday “you surrender your right to privacy once you enter government service.”
But it looks like they got the message.
Presidential Communications Operations Office Assistant Secretary Kris Ablan told reporters yesterday that they would correct the SALNs.
“The acquisition costs, the total assets, the total net worth, the total liabilities will be disclosed,” Ablan said.
