Robredo P7.7M poorer due to loans for PET case
MANILA — The net worth of Vice President Leni Robredo dipped by around P7.7 million last year due to partial counterprotest fees deposited with the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), according to her latest Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).
Robredo's SALN, which the Office of the Ombudsman released on Wednesday, showed that her net worth in December 2017 was at P1,114,102 while her net worth in 2016 was P8,878,111.
The vice president's liabilities grew from P6.9 million in 2016 to P11.9 million in 2017 due to loans taken to pay for fees in the electoral protest of defeated vice presidential bet Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
The vice president's liabilities stem from loans payable to the estate of Marcelina Robredo (P1 million), estate of Jose Robredo (P2 million), Jose Robredo Jr. (P1.15 million), Jocelyn Austria (P2 million), Salvacion Gerona (P750,000), Pablito Chua (P1 million), Vicente Hao Chin Jr. (P2 million) and Rafael Bundoc (P2 million).
Robredo's assets also shrunk to P13.01 million in 2017 from P15.78 million in 2016.
In April 2017, the Supreme Court, sitting as the PET, ordered Robredo to pay P8 million in cash for her counter electoral protest against Marcos.
The P8-million cash bond would only serve as the first installment of her protest fee amounting to P15.5 million. The Robredo camp said that the first tranche of the cash bond came from loans and her personal savings.
The Robredo camp then asked the tribunal for an extension of the July 14, 2017 deadline for paying the remaining cash deposit of P7.43 million, which the court approved.
As vice president, Robredo receives a basic monthly pay of P148,478. The vice president holds Salary Grade 32 and is prohibited by the Constitution from receiving emoluments like allowances.