The Great SALN Cover-Up: Bersamin’s Ode to Elite Impunity

Cloaking Corruption in Constitutional Garb

By Louis ‘Barok’ C Biraogo — October 27, 2025

The Great Transparency Heist: Bersamin’s Betrayal of the Constitution

KUPS, the gall of Lucas Bersamin, former Supreme Court Chief Justice turned Executive Secretary, peddling secrecy like a carnival barker selling snake oil. This self-styled guardian of justice now wants to lock away Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) behind a flimsy “legitimate purpose” velvet rope, as if the 1987 Constitution—you know, that pesky document he once swore to uphold—doesn’t exist. His excuse? SALNs might be “weaponized.” Spare us. The only thing being weaponized is Bersamin’s legal pedigree, twisted to shield the powerful from the prying eyes of a public tired of being fleeced. Article XI, Section 17 mandates SALNs as public documents to stop officials from turning public office into their personal ATM. Yet Bersamin, with his sanctimonious “security” sob story, flips the script, pretending the real danger is nosy journalists, not kleptocrats looting the nation. Let’s shred this farce with the glee it deserves.

The Legal Bloodbath: Torching Bersamin’s House of Cards

Bersamin’s case for SALN gatekeeping is so weak it could collapse under the weight of a single tweet. Let’s eviscerate this nonsense, point by pathetic point.

“Legitimate Purpose”: A Bureaucratic Bait-and-Switch

Bersamin’s “legitimate purpose” shtick is a masterclass in dodging accountability. The 1987 Constitution, Article XI, Section 17, and Republic Act No. 6713 (RA 6713), Section 8, are crystal clear: SALNs are public, and the public has a right to know the wealth of those wielding power. No asterisks, no VIP passes, no “show me your hall pass” nonsense. The Supreme Court in Chavez v. National Housing Authority (G.R. No. 164527, 2007) nailed this, declaring the right to information under Article III, Section 7 a cornerstone of accountability, subject only to narrow, lawful limits. Bersamin’s vague “legitimate purpose” test is an unconstitutional prior restraint, a bureaucratic hurdle that flips the presumption of access upside down. Worse, it’s a middle finger to the Office of the Ombudsman’s 2025 memorandum, which lifted the draconian consent requirements of the Samuel Martires era to restore public access with reasonable redactions. Bersamin’s waging a policy cage match with his own government’s anti-corruption watchdog—and he’s losing, legally and morally.

“Weaponization”: A Smokescreen for Elite Impunity

Sure, SALNs could be misused—a tabloid might splash a Cabinet secretary’s beach house on its front page, or a troll could dox an official’s kids. But let’s not faint from the vapors. The fix isn’t secrecy; it’s redaction and penalties for abuse. The Ombudsman’s 2025 memo already gets this, mandating redactions for personal data while keeping the juicy bits—assets, liabilities, business interests—open for scrutiny. Bersamin’s “weaponization” boogeyman is a transparent pretext to shield the powerful from the kind of accountability that’s exposed unexplained wealth before (looking at you, Corona impeachment). RA 6713 and the National Privacy Commission (NPC) already provide tools to balance privacy and transparency. So why the blanket restrictions? Is Bersamin more worried about the “safety” of Cabinet cronies than the public’s safety from corruption? Maybe he thinks we should just trust the Marcos administration’s sparkling integrity. I’ll wait for the laughter to die down.

“Alter-Ego” Privilege: A Laughable Legal Fanfic

Bersamin’s claim that Cabinet secretaries, as “alter-egos of the President,” deserve a special invisibility cloak is the kind of legal fiction that deserves a Netflix comedy special. The Constitution and RA 6713 don’t play favorites—a barangay captain’s SALN is as public as the Executive Secretary’s. The alter-ego doctrine (Article VII, Section 17) covers delegated authority, not a magical exemption from scrutiny. The Supreme Court’s own rules in A.M. No. 09-8-6-SC (2012) subject even justices’ SALNs to public access with reasonable regulations—no sacred cows allowed. Bersamin, a former Chief Justice, should know this better than anyone. His attempt to carve out a VIP class of untouchables reeks of elitism, as if the public’s right to know stops at Malacañang’s gates. Tell us, Lucas, does the Constitution stutter when it comes to Cabinet accountability?

**Lucas in Wonderland: Bersamin’s Fantastical Quest to Bury Transparency**

Peeking Behind the Curtain: What’s Bersamin Really Hiding?

Nobody throws this much shade at transparency without an agenda. Let’s speculate on Bersamin’s true motives, with the cynicism this charade demands:

The Cynical Bureaucrat: With the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) sniffing around flood control anomalies, Bersamin might be building a moat to protect his Cabinet pals (and maybe himself) from SALN scrutiny. Those documents have a nasty habit of revealing mansions that don’t quite match a public servant’s paycheck.
The Pompous Legalist: As a former Chief Justice, Bersamin might genuinely believe the great unwashed can’t be trusted with sensitive documents. Only the legal elite—judges, lawyers, the anointed—should handle SALNs. It’s a patronizing view that assumes the public is too dumb to separate legitimate scrutiny from tabloid fodder.
The Loyal Palace Lapdog: Bersamin could be taking a bullet for the Marcos administration, which promised transparency but is now sweating under the ICI’s spotlight. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s October 15 pledge to open his SALN sounds noble, but Bersamin’s backpedaling screams cold feet. Loyalty over principle? That’s Malacañang’s oldest trick.

The Apocalypse of Opacity: Why Bersamin’s Gambit Threatens Democracy

If Bersamin’s vision takes hold, we’re not just talking about a policy hiccup—it’s a full-blown time warp back to the dark days of Martires’ 2020 memo, when SALNs were locked away like state secrets. The fallout is grim: public trust in government, already gasping for air, takes a fatal hit. Corruption gets a VIP pass as journalists and watchdogs struggle to access the one tool designed to expose unexplained wealth. The Ombudsman’s hard-fought 2025 reform becomes a toothless gesture, and the Philippines slides back into the warm embrace of impunity. Long-term, this greenlights gutting other transparency mechanisms, from Freedom of Information (FOI) to audit reports. It’s a death knell for the democratic ideals enshrined in Article III, Section 7 and Article XI, Section 17.

Call to Action:

To the Media & Civil Society: Don’t wait for a gold-embossed invite. File test-case SALN requests today—for Bersamin, Marcos, the whole Cabinet. When the denials roll in, lawyer up and haul this to court. The Constitution’s got your back, and the public’s watching.
To the Ombudsman: Jesus Crispin Remulla, your 2025 memo is a beacon of hope. Don’t let Bersamin’s bureaucratic tantrum dim it. Publicly call out this executive overreach and remind everyone that RA 6713 doesn’t bow to Cabinet egos. Your job is to slay corruption, not coddle it.
To the Supreme Court: Brace for impact. Bersamin’s stance is a direct challenge to your precedents—Chavez v. NHA, A.M. No. 09-8-6-SC—and the constitutional mandate for transparency. When the cases hit your docket, reaffirm that the right to information isn’t a privilege for the elite to ration. Smack this down with prejudice.

The Final Verdict: Bersamin’s Secrecy Fetish Is a Legal and Moral Dumpster Fire

Bersamin’s SALN secrecy crusade isn’t just bad policy—it’s a legally indefensible assault on Philippine democracy. The Constitution, RA 6713, and a stack of Supreme Court rulings make it undeniable: SALNs are the public’s weapon against corruption, not a toy for officials to hide behind “security” excuses. His arguments crumble under scrutiny, exposing either cynical self-preservation or an elitist disdain for accountability. The public’s right to know isn’t up for negotiation, and neither is the fight to keep power in check. Bersamin can dress his rhetoric in legalese, but the stench of opacity is unmistakable. Time to rip the curtain off this scam and let the sunlight burn.