Villar richest senator, Trillanes poorest

MANILA, Philippines - For the third year in a row, Sen. Cynthia Villar emerged as the richest member of the Senate based on her 2016 statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).

Villar was followed by Sen. Manny Pacquiao and Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto.

The “poorest” senators were Antonio Trillanes IV, Francis Escudero, Leila de Lima and Francis Pangilinan.

Meanwhile, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres Bautista is the richest among the heads of the five constitutional bodies, according to his 2016 SALN.

Villar, whose family is engaged in real estate and retail businesses, reported a net worth of P3.606 billion with no liabilities by the end of 2016.

Her net worth was P100 million higher than in 2015.

Villar is the wife of billionaire, former senator and defeated presidential candidate Manuel Villar Jr., who went back to business after leaving government service.

Her son Mark is current public works secretary, whose wife is Emmeline, Las Piñas City representative. She has other family members and relatives in government.

Villar was followed by Pacquiao, who reported a net worth of P3.072 billion in 2016.

Pacquiao, who built a career as a professional boxer, listed the following assets: P1.46 billion in cash, jewelry and other personal properties; P250 million in various investments; and P142.6 million in transportation equipment.

For his liabilities, Pacquiao said he has outstanding loans amounting to P350.6 million.

In his SALN, Pacquiao listed a total of 103 real properties, most of which are situated in his hometown of General Santos City and other areas in Mindanao.

Among his properties is his P115-million house in Los Angeles, California; his Forbes Park, Makati City home worth P388 million; a P120.5-million commercial property and another worth P400 million both in General Santos City.

Recto came in third with a net worth of P522.6 million.

The bulk of his wealth was composed of investments in stocks (P150.4 million), cash and other financial instruments (P297.95 million). He recorded P87.88 million in liabilities.

Sen. Sonny Angara was next with a net worth of P123.95 million: various properties worth P75.2 million and P62.74 million worth of vehicles, investments, cash, jewelry, furniture, art and other movables. He reported liabilities amounting to P14 million.

Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri was fifth with a net worth of P121.76 million – total assets of P187.4 million less liabilities of P65.6 million.

Zubiri listed as his assets 13 companies, shares in 10 companies, business interests and financial connections in 22 companies, and six vehicles.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian reported a net worth of P92.1 million with no liabilities. Two condominium units in Makati City worth P40.17 million and shares of stock in Win Shares and four country clubs plus cash in banks comprised his assets.

Sen. Grace Poe, who ran for president in the 2016 elections, posted a net worth of P88.48 million, down sllightly from the previous year’s P89 million.

The bulk of Poe’s assets were in 30 properties worth P95 million, including two in the United States. Her P35.87 million in liabilities included a personal loan of P17.76 million from her mother, actress Susan Roces.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon came in at number eight with a net worth of P82.48 million. The bulk of Drilon’s assets was in the form of cash on hand and in banks, which went up from P54.4 million in 2015 to P58.4 million in 2016. He listed his liabilities at P35.65 million consisting primarily of payable loans.

Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito reported a net worth of P79.1 million, which was composed of P190 million in total assets and P111.6 million in liabilities. Ejercito’s liabilities consisted of P41 million in advances and P70.6 million in loans payable.

At number 10 was Sen. Richard Gordon with a net worth of P66.92 million. Gordon listed 14 properties, including three on lease worth P47.1 million and P25.1 million in various personal properties as his assets. His P5.3 million in liabilities consist of a P5-million personal loan and a car loan of P313,125.

Trillanes recorded a net worth of P6.5 million, up from the previous year’s P5.98 million. Four properties, cash and other personal properties amounting to P16 million comprised Trllanes’ assets.

However, he recorded a total of P9.5 million in liabilities consisting of various loans.

At P6.6 million, Escudero’s net worth was just P100,000 higher than that of Trillanes. His assets consisted of P2.05 million in cash, three vehicles, securities and other personal properties.

While he owned five properties in Quezon City and Sorsogon, Escudero did not include their value in his total assets since he acquired these by succession. Escudero did not report any liabilities.

De Lima recorded a net worth of P6.61 million composed of P9.8 million in assets and P3.18 million in liabilities.

She did not list any property in her SALN, which according to her staff was due to the fact that she lives in a rented home. De Lima’s liabilities consists of five personal loans and a car loan.

Pangilinan, the fourth “poorest” senator, posted a net worth of P9.28 million. His assets were pegged at P12.64 and liabilities at P3.36 million.