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Pacquiao dares fellow govt officials, disclose wealth
By J.Lo
“I worked hard for my wealth… I invested blood, sweat and risked by life to earn that,” Former boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao told media “all public servants should disclose their asset declaration.”
Former boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao, who has vowed to root out graft in Philippine government if elected president, would disclose full details of his wealth and challenged all fellow officials to do the same.
Pacquiao’s remarks came after another presidential contender, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., previously said he would be careful in releasing his statement of assets for it might be used by political opponents.
President Rodrigo Duterte, whose government Pacquiao criticized for not doing enough to battle graft, has not shared his asset declaration his wealth to the public since 2017.
Pacquiao, who is a senator, has made fighting corruption centerpiece of his presidential campaign, likening corrupt officials to “cancer” in government. He has promised to put them to jail.
“I have plenty of ways and strategies to fight corruption but I could not reveal them yet lest these officials might prepare… God gave me knowledge and wisdom how to eradicate corruption,” former eight-division champion boxer said.
While no one questions his prowess inside ring, some political observers doubt his ability to govern and guide economy back to recovery after it has been ravaged by COVID-19 pandemic.
“I would not have ran for president if didn’t think I have the capability…why would I embarrass myself?” Pacquiao said… “I know all the country’s problems and I know the solutions.”
Pacquiao came from an impoverished background and was a ship stowaway who started fighting on the streets as a boy, with prizes of $2 a fight. His net worth was $69 million in 2020, according to his Philippines statement of assets.
Pacquiao will waive his right under Philippines’ Bank Secrecy Law and will require his appointed officials to do the same, if he is elected to the country’s highest office this May 2022.
In a statement, Pacquiao said proposed move will help ensure transparency and accountability in government. He added that an official’s immediate family members would also have to waive the same right.
“I will not just sign a waiver for bank secrecy… even my colleagues in government will be asked to sign waiver before they can be appointed… even their SALNs won’t be hidden from the public,” Pacquiao said.
Pacquiao is not the only presidential hopeful who has promised to waive bank secrecy rights. Fellow senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said last November that such a move would “set the tone” for a corruption-free bureaucracy.
Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said in December he is ready to waive his own rights to bank secrecy as well.
Pacquiao’s first executive action as president would be creation of so-called “Mega Prison” that would serve as the main detention facility of all government officials caught for corruption.
The retired boxer said that the facility, if built, would have its own hospital to detain those under hospital arrest, as well as small hut for those under house arrest.
“We have seen how they were able to manipulate the justice system so that they can still live comfortably and easily,” he said. ” Some used props like wheelchairs, while others said they were sick but suddenly became healthy upon release…they can even run…that will all be gone with our MP because it will have everything.”
Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier rejected making public his statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) if he wins presidency in the May elections.
Marcos said SALNs could be weaponized for political attacks and that giving media access to the document may also be used by political opponents.
“Depends what the purposes are for making them public; if the purpose is going to be a political attack, then why would we want to do that?” Marcos said of publicizing his SALN.
He cited as an example the 2012 impeachment of then Chief Justice Renato Corona for failing to file his wealth declaration.
“If you look at it even more closely, it was a political decision…it was not an effective decision or objective judgment of what he had done…so if that is going to be the purpose for it, some political agenda, then I don’t see the reason that SALN should be given,” Marcos told a forum.
“Maybe my experience with Corona impeachment has a lot to do with it…it really does…because they made something out of nothing,” he continued.
However, he agreed to give access to his SALN if it is subject of a trial or a case.
“It can be given, but not to the public, but to the agents of the board or the board itself, whatever the board maybe… I think that’s workable solution, if all politicians have opponents, they can find, manufacture an issue…and my prime example is Corona…there was no issue…they made one, and then removed him,” said the son and namesake of the late President Ferdinand Marcos.
Marcos was one of only three senators who voted not to oust Corona. The other two were then senators Joker Arroyo and Miriam Defensor Santiago.
Marcos declared a net worth of P211 million in his 2015 SALN, his last SALN before his senatorial term expired in 2016.
His assets included a vast number of real properties in Laguna, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Taguig City, and Mandaluyong City, all of which amounted to more than P66.6 million as of December 2015. A condo unit located in Ayala Avenue, Makati City, which he listed as “investments” under “personal properties,” was valued at P78 million ,P11 million more than value of all his listed real properties combined.
Marcos also declared that he owned 67 paintings, including one by Filipino national artist Jose Joya, had an appraised value of P3.03 million. Also included in his collection is national hero Jose Rizal’s “Los Dos Pintores, Juan Luna y Felix R. Hidalgo” which he acquired in 1993 as a “gift” with an appraised value of more than P6 million as of December 2015, according to his SALN declaration.
Aside from these, Marcos also declared jewelry worth P15 million and 10 vehicles valued at P17.6 million. He also declared he had P23.6 million in “shares of stocks/securities” and listed business interests with holding companies NIV Holdings Inc. and SASIVI Holdings Inc. in Pasig City, management company Augustus Management Inc. in Ilocos Norte, and a “professional partnership” with MOST Law Firm located in Pasig City.
All other presidential candidates are in favor of disclosing officials’ wealth declaration.
Vice President Leni Robredo in several instances urged rivals and President Rodrigo Duterte to make public their SALN.
Pacquiao earlier said ” I do not know what other candidates want. But under my leadership, the president will not be the only one obligated to disclose his SALN, but all government officials.”
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso agreed that all public officials should disclose their SALN, noting it is ” public document.”
Sen. Panfilo Lacson said he would waive his rights under Bank Secrecy Law and urge other government officials to do so should he win presidential race.
In another interview, he said politicians who refuse to release their SALN must be hiding something.
“then they are hiding something,” the lawmaker said when asked how he will describe such politicians, adding that he has just released his 2018, 2019 and 2020 SALNs
While disclosing one’s SALN is not mandatory, the people have right to know any sign of abuse, argued labor leader Leody De Guzman.
“A government official’s refusal to release the SALN is a betrayal of the people,” he said in a statement.
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