Impeachment trial teaches 3 lessons

After Day 39 of the impeachment trial, there are 3 vital lessons that government officials and citizens interested in maintaining transparency and accountability can take stock of. These include the importance of the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth submitted by officials; the need to update antiquated bank secrecy laws; and the power of the Office of the Ombudsman to pursue graft and corruption. Being in public service is demanding, journalist Marites D. Vitug wrote, because shady characters have no space in it. Likewise, there is a need to amend the country’s bank secrecy standards to make them fully compliant with global standards. And finally, Vitug pointed out, the higher good of promoting transparency and accountability among public officials should prevail over bank secrecy laws.

Read the complete piece by Marites D. Vitug on Rappler.