Party-list lawmaker first in House to file SALN
A militant lawmaker is the first in the House of Representatives to file a declaration of statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) ahead of congressmen who have yet to make public their wealth.
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate has declared assets worth P2,048,889.10 and liabilities of P401,093.49 for a net worth of P1.65 million.
The House has not made available the annual summary of the SALNs of its members. There was no explanation for the delay. The deadline for the filing of SALNs was last April 30.
Most high-ranking officials, including President Duterte and senators, have already released their SALNs.
Zarate is the leader of the Makabayan bloc of seven leftist party-list representatives. Members of his group are expected to follow suit to file their SALNs.
Based on Zarate’s SALN for 2017, his assets include a residential lot in Davao City worth P50,000, a Mitsubishi pick-up valued at P1.054 million, cash in bank amounting to P815,000 and jewelry, books, paintings and gadgets worth P110,000.
Zarate has P350,000 in personal loans from two individuals and P51,000 in credit card payables.
Last year, Rep. Michael Romero of party-list group One Patriotic Coalition of Marginalized Nationals (1-Pacman) was the richest member of Congress.
Romero, who made his fortune from a lucrative port operation business, declared a net worth of P7 billion. He is the son of construction tycoon Reghis Romero II.
He valued his assets at P7.058 billion and his liabilities at P48.4 million.
In 2016, Forbes magazine listed Rep. Romero as the 49th richest Filipino with wealth estimated at $150 million.
Rep. Emmeline Aglipay-Villar of partylist group Democratic Independent Workers Association Inc. was the second richest House member with a net worth of P1.4 billion. She is the wife of Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, one of the richest Cabinet members.
Rep. Villar was followed by Alfredo Benitez of Negros Occidental, with a net worth of P943 million; former first lady Imelda Marcos of Ilocos Norte, P917.8 million; Feliciano Belmonte Jr. of Quezon City, P852.1 million; Virgilio Lacson of Manila Teachers, P768.8 million; Bayani Fernando of Marikina City, P738 million; Vilma Santos-Recto of Batangas, P522.6 million; Antonio Floirendo Jr. of Davao del Norte, P491.7 million; and Yedda Marie Romualdez of Leyte, P477.9 million.
The next 10 wealthiest were former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of Pampanga, P434.6 million; Rosanna Vergara of Nueva Ecija, P310.4 million; Michael John Duavit of Rizal, P263.5 million; Abraham Tolentino of Cavite, P258.7 million; Ferjenel Biron of Iloilo, P241.8 million; Manuel Luis Lopez of Manila, P238 million; Micaela Violago also of Nueva Ecija, P235.6 million; Zajib Mangudadatu of Maguindanao, P231.3 million; Alex Advincula also of Cavite, P220.5 million; and Richard Eusebio of Pasig City, P212.3 million.
Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez declared a net worth of P86.5 million, while Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas was worth P169.1 million. Minority Leader Danilo Suarez has a P177.3-million net worth.