RE: REQUEST FOR COPY OF 2008 STATEMENT OF ASSETS, LIABILITIES AND NETWORTH [SALN] AND PERSONAL DATA SHEET

ORCURRICULUM VITAE OF THE JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT AND OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE JUDICIARY. A. M. No. 09-8-6SC, June 13, 2012. Facts: Rowena Paraan, Research Director of the PCIJ, sought copies of the SALN of the Justices of the Supreme Court for the year 2008. She also requested for copies of the Personal Data Sheet of the Justices of this Court for the purpose of updating their database of information on government officials. Issue #1: Can the SALN of justices be accessed via the right to information? Ruling: Yes. The right to information goes hand-in-hand with the constitutional policies of full public disclosure and honesty in the public service Issue #2: What are the limitations on the constitutional right to information? Ruling: The right to information is not absolute. It is further subject to such limitations as may be provided by law. Jurisprudence has provided the following limitations to that right:(1) national security matters and intelligence information;(2) trade secrets and banking transactions;(3) criminal matters; and(4) other confidential information such as confidential or classified information officially known to public officers and employees by reason of their office and not made available to the public as well as diplomatic correspondence, closed door Cabinet meetings and executive sessions of either house of Congress, and the internal deliberations of the Supreme Court.