SC grants BIR access to SALN of Sandiganbayan justices

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–The Supreme Court has granted the request of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to get copies of the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth (SALN) of Sandiganbayan justices.

In a resolution dated Nov. 18 but made public Monday, the BIR will be able to acquire SALNs of the Sandiganbayan justices for three years—2011, 2012 and 2013.

“The Court resolved to … partially grant the request of (BIR Commissioner Kim) Henares for certified copies of the SALNs of all incumbent Sandiganbayan Justices for the last three (3) years only,” the resolution said.

Early this year, the high court dismissed the BIR’s request to acquire copies of the SALN of Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and Court of Tax Appeals justices.

In its ruling, the high court branded the BIR’s request as a “fishing expedition” for failure to cite a valid reason for such a request.

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