Gullas richest Cebu lawmaker

MANILA (Updated) -- Representative Eduardo Gullas (1st district) is once again the richest congressman in Cebu province, while Cebu City Representative Tomas Osmeña remains the poorest among Cebuano lawmakers in the House.

The summary report of filed statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) for the year 2011 shows that Gullas declared a net worth of P99.02 million. In the year 2010, he posted a net worth of P93.376 million.

Summary report of filed SALNs for CY 2011 of members of House of Representatives

The list was released by the House Secretary General just three days after the deadline of the filing of SALNs for public officials.

Gullas, a former governor of Cebu, declared P163.65 million worth of real assets, P60.67-million personal assets, and P125.3-million liabilities, giving him a net worth of P99.02 million.

Following him is Representative Benhur Salimbangon of the fourth district with P48.84 million, only a P740,000 increase from his 2010 net worth. He declared P28.24 million worth of real assets, P23.6 million personal assets and P3 million in liabilities.

Senior legislator Pablo Garcia has a net worth of P45.64 million, almost double the amount he declared in 2010 at P25.6 million. The summary list states that Garcia used the current fair market value in the declaration of his real assets that amounted to P21.78 million. In 2010, his real properties only amounted to P11 million.

In fourth spot is Cebu City Representative Rachel Marguerite “Cutie” Del Mar, who declared a P30.01 million net worth. Her net worth increased by P2 million with real assets at P21.81 million and P8.2 million in personal assets and zero liabilities.

Lapu-Lapu City Representative Arturo Radaza’s net worth also appeared to have doubled to P17.93 million from his 2010 net worth of P8.75 million after declaring his real properties using current fair market values.

Radaza’s real assets amounts to P6.12 million, while his personal assets soared to P11.81 million from the 2010 amount of P3.2 million. He declared zero liabilities.

Following Radaza in the list is fifth district Representative Ramon Durano VI with P16.92 million. He declared P3.31 million in real assets, P15.93 million in personal assets and P2.33 million worth of liabilities.

Representative Luigi Quisumbing of the sixth district, meanwhile, posted the same net worth of P15.3 million compared to 2010. He left the columns for real properties blank, and declared P15.3-million worth of personal assets and zero liabilities again in 2011.

Cebu’s second district Representative Pablo John Garcia declared a net worth of P14.29 million. He was the only lawmaker from the province whose net worth decreased compared to 2010. In 2010, he declared a net worth of P18 million.

Pablo John, who is planning to replace his sister as governor in Cebu, declared P16.35 million worth of real assets and P15.79 million worth of personal properties. His liabilities increased to P17.85 million from 2010’s P13.5 million.

Osmena was again the poorest among the lawmakers in Cebu with P5.11 million. In 2010, he declared a net worth of P4.15 million. He left his real assets blank, and declared personal assets worth P6.99 million and P1.88 million in liabilities.

In the case of Osmena and Quisumbing, House Secretary General Marilyn Barua-Yap told Sun.Star that they “presumably have no real assets so there was no declaration.”

“These are the items subject to verification. The summary is only an initial report,” Yap added.

Meanwhile, with P1.352 billion, Filipino boxing icon and Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao is the richest among the 285 members of the House of Representatives.

Pacquiao is also the only billionaire with the second richest -- former first lady and Ilocos Norte Representative Imelda Marcos -- having a net worth of P932 million.

Completing the top 10 richest congressmen are: 3) House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. of Quezon City (P736 million); 4) Albee Benitez of the third district of Negros Occidental (P686 million); 5) Julio Ledesma (P555 million) of the first district of Negros Occidental; 6) Ferdinand Martin Romualdez of Leyte (P474 million); 7) Augusto Syjuco, Jr. of Iloilo (P302 million); 8) Enrique Cojuangco of Tarlac (P200 million); 9) Rodolfo Fariñas of Ilocos Norte (P195 million); and 10) House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez of Quezon (P179 million).

For the second year in a row this 15th Congress, Anakpawis party-list Representative Rafael Mariano posted the least net worth with only P46,946. His net worth dropped compared to his 2010 net worth of P75,711.57.

Unlike in the House, the Senate has yet to reveal the summaries of asset statements of its 23 members, three days after the April 30 deadline.

So far, only six senators disclosed their net worth, topped by Senator Manny Villar with P854,213,716, a big jump from 2010's P725,221,964.

Villar, who made a name in the real estate industry, is also connected with Fine Properties Inc., M.B. Villar Co. Inc., Macys Inc., Mooncrest Property, Hollinger Holdings, and Manuela Corp.

Aside from Villar, other senators who declared their net worth to media are the following: Senator Panfilo Lacson (P22,637,612); Senator Teofisto Guingona III (P82,520,212.63); Senator Francis Escudero (P9,867,082); Senator Pia Cayetano (P72,058,847); and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV (P3,897,121).

Trillanes's net worth was barely unchanged from 2010, when he was named the poorest senator with P3.836 million.

The Office of the Senate Secretary, which keeps the SALNs, said it will release the documents within 15 days. (Kathrina Alvarez/Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)