Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea slammed on Monday President Rodrigo Duterte's critics, saying they had been "nitpicking" on his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth ( SALN).

This as Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, in a press briefing, said that what is important was Duterte and his children, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and former Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, made declarations of their wealth through their respective SALNs.

"It must be made of record that President's critics and detractors had been nitpicking on the President's SALN," Medialdea told reporters in a text message.

"They have tried to make an issue out of even the minutest detail in hopes to pin the President for some wrongdoing but to their dismay their efforts had all failed," he said.

The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism has came out with a series about Duterte and his family's wealth. It cited the spike on the net worth of the President and that of Sara and Paolo based on their respective SALNs and their business interests registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

PCIJ also took note on what could be violations of Duterte and Sara for maintaining their names in the law firms that they have put up despite being public officials already.

Panelo said Duterte has properly declared his wealth.

"What is prohibited is when you do not declare your assets. But he has declared them, so what’s the hullabaloo," he said.

Duterte earlier slammed PCIJ for its series of report, saying that what they have earned outside government service was none of its business.

As to Duterte's law firm, Panelo said, "he (Duterte) can only join a law firm if he was a practicing lawyer at that time. He could not be joining a law firm when he was a prosecutor, a vice mayor, a mayor and congressman or a president. So we don't know exactly."

On Sara's wealth, Panelo said it would be better to ask the presidential daughter.

"I think that should?the question should be directed to the Mayor of Davao with respect whatever wealth she has, or to the husband or to the brother. They may have some businesses. What is important, as I said, they have declared that. What is prohibited under the law is that when you have certain properties and you don’t declare them when you become public officials," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS