Imelda 2nd richest in House

Manila, Philippines -  Amid a continuing legal battle over billions in alleged ill-gotten wealth amassed during the regime of her late husband, Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos emerged as the second richest member of the House of Representatives in 2011, based on a summary of congressmen’s statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs).

Marcos placed second after world boxing idol and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao, whose net worth grew by P200 million or to P1.35 billion in 2011 based on the SALN he submitted to the chamber.

Marcos, the widow of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, almost became a billionaire last year with a declared net worth of P932.8 million.

In 2010, she was ranked third richest in the House with a declared net worth of P623.6 million.

The 82-year-old former first lady chairs the House committee on millennium development goals, which concerns itself with achieving anti-poverty and women development targets set by the United Nations.

Despite attempts of the late four administrations and the current government to recover billions allegedly illegally-amassed by her husband and make him account for human rights violations committed during his 20-year rule, the Marcoses remain popular to many and continue to be a political force.

Her son, Ferdinand Marcos, is a senator and is reportedly a strong contender for the presidency or the vice presidency in 2016, when the term of President Aquino ends. Aquino’s mother, Corazon Aquino, replaced the late strongman as president in a bloodless revolution in 1986.

While Pacquiao’s wealth grew, some of his “poor” colleagues got poorer.

Anakpawis party-list Rep. Rafael Mariano, the poorest member of the House in 2010, saw his net worth decrease from P75,711 to P46,946 in 2011.

Mariano’s militant colleagues have been listed as among the “poorest” congressmen in the past years.

Former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is facing several corruption charges, saw her net worth decrease from to P140.2 million in 2010 to P131.6 million in 2011.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. jumped from seventh richest in 2010 to third last year with P726.2 million in net worth.

Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez placed fourth with P686.1 million.

He is followed by Negros Occidental Rep. Julio Ledesma IV with P555 million, Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez with P474.1 million, and Iloilo Rep. Augusto Syjuco with P302 million.