Senate SALNs show two billionaires in chamber

WITH WORLD-FAMOUS boxer Emmanuel “Manny” D. Pacquiao having joined the Senate last year, the chamber now has two billionaires in its roster, although their net worth certainly trails behind the tycoons in this year’s Forbes billionaires list that also includes Filipinos.

Twenty- four ( 24) senators have submitted their December 2016 Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs), which showed Senator Cynthia A. Villar as the richest among them with a net worth of P3.606 billion net worth, with no declared liabilities.

She was followed by Mr. Pacquiao who had a net worth of P3.072 billion, about twice the combined net worth of the other senators at P1,504,355,756.94.

Ms. Villar’s net worth, on the other hand, is far behind the net worth in US dollars of her husband Manuel B. Villar, Jr. according to this year’s Forbes list — where the businessman and former Senate leader ranked 1,376th with an expanded wealth of $1.5 billion.

But according to Ms. Villar, in a phone-patch interview with Senate reporters, her SALN was a joint declaration of assets with her husband.

The senator’s SALN showed an estimated total of P4.59 million in real properties, as distinguished from P3.6 billion in personal properties including P2.25 billion in shares of stocks.

Mr. Pacquiao’s SALN includes real properties of P1.57 billion and personal properties of P1.85 billion — including P1.46 billion in cash, jewelries and “other personal properties”; P250 million in “various investments”; and P142.6 million in transportation equipment.

Mr. Pacquiao also listed Pacquiao Group of Companies under business interests and financial connections.

The other senators had the following net worth: Ralph G. Recto (P522.61 million) jointly filed with Rep. Vilma SantosRecto; Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara ( P123.95 million); Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri ( P121.77 million); Sherwin T. Gatchalian ( P92.14 million); Grace Poe( P88.48 million); Franklin M. Drilon ( P82.48 million); Joseph Victor “JV” G. Ejercito ( P79.13 million); Richard J. Gordon ( P66.93 million); Vicente C. Sotto III (P63.8 million); Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay ( P60.48 million); Loren B. Legarda (P40.91 million); Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson (P38.7 million); Paolo Benigno “Bam” A. Aquino IV ( P33.86 million); Alan Peter S. Cayetano ( P24.13 million); Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva ( P21.52 million); Gregorio “Gringo” B. Honasan ( P21.28 million); Senate President Aquilino Martin “Koko” L. Pimentel ( P17.73 million); Ana Theresia “Risa” N. HontiverosBaraquel (P16.33 million); and Francis “Kiko” N. Pangilinan (P9.29 million).

Completing this list at the bottom of the net-worth hierarchy are Leila M. De Lima, detained under the present administration for allegedly profiting from illegal drugs, with P6.62 million; Francis Joseph “Chiz” G. Escudero (P6.60 million); and Antonio F. Trillanes IV (P6.50 million).