It's final, PNoy won't open bank accounts, says SALN waiver is enough

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InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

JARO, Iloilo City -  It's final. President Benigno Aquino III will not sign a waiver to open his bank accounts to the public.

Aquino on Friday said the waiver he had signed in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) should suffice.

This was a departure from his campaign promise in 2010 to waive his rights under the Bank Secrecy Law.

"If I have already signed a waiver and I will do it again, that would only be drama on my part," Aquino said.

Under the waiver attached to the SALN, the Ombudsman or his duly authorized representative is authorized "to obtain and secure from all appropriate government agencies, including the Bureau of Internal Revenue such documents that may show" the SALN filer's "assets, liabilities, networth, business interests and financial connections," which include those of the filer's spouse and unmarried children below 18 years old living with the SALN filer covering previous years to include the year that the filer first assumed office in government. 

The chief executive's statement came a day after his deputy spokesperson Abigail Valte said the President would sign the waiver in due time.

The President said the waiver that accompanied his SALN already authorizes the Ombudsman and other agencies such as the Bureau of Internal Revenue to look into documents showing his assets, business interests and financial connections.

According to Aquino, it is easy to make deposits, and shady individuals might just put money in his bank accounts if these are made public.

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