Congress SALN: Who are the richest, poorest lawmakers? | ABS-CBN

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Congress SALN: Who are the richest, poorest lawmakers?

Congress SALN: Who are the richest, poorest lawmakers?

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

 | 

Updated Jun 08, 2016 04:05 PM PHT

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MANILA (UPDATED) - Outgoing Sarangani Representative and Senator-elect Manny Pacquiao is no longer the lone billionaire congressman of the 16th Congress.

That is according to the summary of the Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) of lawmakers for 2015, released Tuesday by the Office of the Secretary General of the House of Representatives.

Pacquiao, who declared P3,268,200.088.00 billion in net worth, is the country's richest congressman.

His net worth is slightly lower than the 2015 net worth of Sen. Cynthia Villar, the country's richest senator.

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Villar, wife of former Senate President Manny Villar, declared a net worth of 3.5 billion pesos, based on her 2015 SALN. Villar's assets include 4.5 million pesos worth of real estate, 3.49 billion worth of stocks and other real and personal properties while she has zero liability.

Pacquiao is set to join the Senate by next month.

Trailing Pacquiao in the House of Representatives rich list is Negros Occidental Rep. Jules Ledesma who had over P1,004,951,837.92.

Also among The Top 10 in 2015 by net worth are:

- House Speaker Sonny Belmonte, P941,648,636.42
- Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos, P917,800,000.00
- Negros Occidental Rep. Albee Benitez, P880,017,206.00
- Spouses Diwa Rep. Emmeline Aglipay and Las Piñas Rep. Mark Villar, P689,535,772.00
- Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez P475,619,805.59
- Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo P393,915,603.71
- Rizal Rep. Joel Roy Duavit, P302 624,883.79

Pacquiao was also the richest congressman in 2014, when he declared a net worth of P1,668,200,088.00.

In the same year, Belmonte placed second to the boxing icon with P921,559,097.07.

ARROYO'S SALN JUMP

Meanwhile, former President and detained Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's fortunes also rose by over P240 million.

Her husband, Mike Arroyo, explained to ABS-CBN News that their properties in Calamba and Cabuyao, Laguna were sold last September 15.

The 8.6447-hectare property was sold for P5,000 per square meter, or a total of P432,385,000.

The former First Gentlemen said that after paying P34,961,679.5 in taxes, they were left with net proceeds of P397,423,302.50 for the sale of the estate.

However, he clarified that part of the sale proceeds were used to settle their P150-million loan reflected in Arroyo's SALN since 2011, and that they were left with P247, 423,302.5.

Thus, the net worth of Arroyo in her SALN jumped from P146,492,301.21 oin 2014 to P393,915,603.71 in 2015.

Arroyo was not among the 10 richest members of the House of Representatives in the previous years.

POOREST SENATORS

Members of progressive party-list groups held on to their reputation for being the lower chamber's poorest lawmakers.

This year's poorest lawmaker is Anakpawis Rep. Fernando Hicap, with P43,239 of declared wealth.

Also among the 10 poorest congressmen were:

1-CARE Rep. Edgardo Masongsong, P 2,524,350.48

Kabataan Rep. Terry Ridon, P1,939,193.00

Akbayan Rep. Angelina Katoh, P1, 790.000

Abang Lingkod Rep. Joseph Paduano, P1, 584,425.19

Abakada Rep. Jonathan dela Cruz, P1, 450,000.00

Banat & Ahapo Rep. Maryam Arbison, P1,400,00.00

Gabriela Rep. Emmy de Jesus, P1,395.000.00

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate P1,124,626.00

Kalinga Rep. Abigail Ferriol, P 715,150.00

UP Political Science assistant professor Aries Arugay said the list is not surprising.

"Ito'y pinatutunayan lang na maraming mayayaman na miyembro ng Kongreso na nagsisilbing lingkod bayan...Nakikita rin natin na ang mga nanalo sa eleksyong ito ay karaniwan mayayaman na galing sa mga pamilya na may pera," he said.

"Hindi ko alam kung ito'y simbolo na kung kailangan maging lingkod bayan ay kailangan maging mayaman. Ngunit kung iisipin natin na ang Kongreso eh interes ng karamihan...maaring tanungin kung ang interes ba ng publiko ang dinadala nila o interest ng kanila mismong economic class?"

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