SC SALNs: Jardeleza richest, Leonen poorest

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday released a summary of statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) of its 15 justices for 2015.

Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza remained the richest justice with a net worth of P249,682,637.22. He included joint assets with his wife in his SALN declaration, which showed an increase of some P5.2 million from his 2014 net worth of P244,413,320.16.

At the end of the list is Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, still the “poorest” magistrate of the high tribunal with a net worth of P2,265,166.45 last year, higher by some P170,000 from his net worth in the previous year. He has no real property and has P360,495.61 in liabilities.

Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo has remained the second richest SC magistrate with a net worth of P135,372,247.18 last year, which was about P5 million higher than the previous year. His SALN included assets of his wife, dean Cynthia Roxas-del Castillo.

The latest appointee of President Aquino in the SC, Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, is third richest with net worth of P117,175,000 in 2015.

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno’s net worth grew by over P3 million from 2014’s P19,584,104.34 to her latest at P22,625,195.89. Her real properties dropped by about a million to P7.952 million while her personal properties grew by almost P6 million to P14.673 million compared to the previous year.

Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio’s net worth in 2015 went down to P82,000,220 from P83,679,398 in 2014.

Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro’s net worth in 2015 is up by some P2 million to P14,046,000 from the previous year’s P12,446,000.

Associate Justice Arturo Brion had P20,261,701 in 2015 from P19,015,950 in the previous year, while Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta had a net worth of P39,075,231.25 last year, which was also higher by some P4 million from his P35,348,931.25 in 2014.

Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin’s net worth also grew by some P1.5 million last year at P29,156,828 from 2014’s P27,724,828, while Associate Justice Jose Mendoza’s net worth in 2015 was P37,324,712.11 or over P3 million more than the P34,033,378 he had the previous year.

Meanwhile, Associate Justice Jose Perez’s net worth has remained at P14,124,000.

Lastly, Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes’ net worth went up from P76,722,262 in 2014 to P77,024,532.92 last year, just like Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe’s net worth, which grew from P74,996,630 to P76,500,494.56.

It was the second time in its 114-year history that the SC voluntarily released the summary of SALNs of its members.

The SALNs of justices have been released by the high court to the public annually since 2012 but only upon official request from interested parties subject to the approval of the full court.   

In 2012, the high court approved release of the SALNs of justices after the ouster of former chief justice Renato Corona in May 2012 due to millions of assets not declared in his SALN. 

In a resolution in June 2012, the SC stressed that only copies of latest SALNs, PDS and CVs of justices should be released.

Request for previous records should be granted only under justifiable grounds as specified under Republic Act 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials).

The SC explained that the conditions set for the release of the SALN and other personal documents of the justices are necessary to protect their members from harassment.