I was watching the news the other night, and I saw a report regarding an elected government official’s SALN, or Statement of Assets and Liabilities Net Worth.

Apparently, they are now going to bar access to this legal public document unless first submitting a letter of request, wherein one has to state his intended purpose for acquiring the document.

But that is not the end of it.  The request apparently has to pass through the office of Merceditas Gutierrez, and she will determine whether the said purpose is truthful.  She also has the power to deny the requestor access to the documents.

This act alone suppresses the right of the public to access information about their elected government officials, therefore suspending the policy of total transparency.  As one is elected or appointed into public office, he automatically gives up his right to privacy.  The public has the right to know everything about these officials that can help them evaluate their performance and especially their trustworthiness to hold their offices.

This new memorandum, I feel, is just another blatant act of ass covering by the government and it’s reeking in fishiness if you ask me. 

Why?  Well, it is highly publicized that Merceditas Gutierrez is a classmate and friend of the first gentleman, and this new ‘memo’ conveniently popped up just days after the media discovered some undeclared properties belonging to his sons, and the multiple ‘foundations’ bearing the name of the president and other family members, which may or may not be illegal –as it is yet to be determined – simply because it gains money from donations.

I’m sure you can read between the lines, because unlike the people in the palace, I know the Filipinos are smart enough to see what exactly is going on.