CHIZ TO REFILE BILL ON WAIVER ON BANK SECRECY IN FAVOR OF OMBUDSMAN IF ELECTED TO SENATE
Sorsogon Gov. Chiz Escudero will refile his proposal that will make it mandatory for all state officials and employees to sign a written permission or waiver in favor of the Office of the Ombudsman to look into their bank deposits here and abroad as well as investments in government bonds, should he get elected for a fresh term in the Senate.
Escudero first put forward the bill in 2007 when he was elected to the Senate and refiled it in 2013 in a move to boost transparency and accountability, and curb graft and corruption within the bureaucracy.
“Hindi po tayo matitinag na ihain ang panukala nang paulit-ulit at ipagtanggol ito sa plenaryo kung tayo ang pagbibigyang muli ng taumbayan na maglingkod sa Senado,” Escudero said.
“Umaasa tayo na hindi man ngayon, darating din ang pagkakataon at panahon na magiging katangga-tannggap na ang panukala at magkaroon din ng malawakang panawagan ang mga mamamayan,” the veteran legislator said.
Under Senate Bill No. 16 Escudero filed when he was senator, he sought to compel all public officials, except those who are serving in honorary capacity, to file a waiver that will allow the anti-graft court to examine the bank deposits and other investments as a deterrent to graft and corruption.
“Public office is a public trust. Government officials are accountable to the public,” Escudero said in his explanatory note in the proposed bill. “To ensure that the civil servant does not use her position to enrich herself, it is necessary that we put in place a mechanism which will enable the government to audit the finances of the civil servant.”
If approved, Escudero’s proposed measure will lift restrictions under Republic Act No. 1405, or the Bank Secrecy Act of 1955, which prohibits disclosure of or inquiry into deposits with any banking institutions, as well as provides penalties of jail term or fines for offenders.
Escudero, who is seeking a new six-year term in the Senate under the Nationalist People’s Coalition, has challenged candidates seeking elective posts in the 2022 national elections to bare their statement of assets, liability and net worth (SALN) in the spirit of transparency and accountability and also aid voters in choosing the next leaders of the country.
“Tulungan natin ang mga botante para makapili ng susunod ng mga líder ng bansa sa paglalahad ng ating mga SALN. Karapatan nilang malaman ito para mapag-aralan kung sino ang dapat at karapat dapat sa kanilang boto,” he explained.
Since 2010, when he was still a senator, Escudero has been filing his SALN together with the waiver authorizing the Office of the Ombudsman to examine his bank deposits.
“Kung wala namang itinatago, dapat walang katakutan. Kung wala naman kinakatakutan, dapat huwag itago,” Escudero said. ###
