BY PRINCE GOLEZ
Manila Reporter
MANILA – Who’s afraid of a lifestyle check? Not Rep. Arthur Defensor Jr. of Iloilo’s 3rd District.
As he expressed support to the proposed lifestyle check among legislators, Defensor said he is willing to undergo one.
“Maayo man na para transparent (kag) maathag,” Defensor told Panay News yesterday.
But the son of Iloilo’s Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. said the lifestyle checkers should make sure that the process does not invade privacy.
A fellow Ilonggo congressman, Alfredo “Albee” Benitez of Negros Occidental’s 3rd District echoed Defensor’s opinion.
“We submit our SALNs (Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth) every year,” Benitez told Panay News, but he is willing to undergo additional measures to guarantee that he is indeed graft-free.
The proposed mandatory lifestyle check among legislators was raised following the Philippine National Police’s decision to conduct such on its law enforcers.
Kabataan party-list’s Rep. Terry Ridon also urged the President, Cabinet members and other government officials to undergo lifestyle scrutiny.
“Lifestyle checks should not be selective. If our government officials truly have nothing to hide, then they should support this call for mandatory lifestyle checks,” said Ridon.
The party-list representative said the submission of SALNs is not enough as they do not “reveal the actual personal fortune of our officials.”/PN
