Piatco earnings declared - Sereno

MANILA, Philippines - Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno said yesterday she has declared in her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) her earnings from earlier services with the government’s legal team engaged in international arbitration cases against a Filipino-German group over the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.

“Her assets include the savings left from the legal fees paid by the government to her in connection with the cases involving the NAIA Terminal 3, net of the amounts paid for value added tax, income tax, operating expenses and personal consumption,” according to a statement issued by her office.

The Supreme Court (SC) chief said the payment was made for services rendered from October 2003 to July 2008, or a period of more than four years and nine months. But she did not specify the amount she was paid.

In an earlier report, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism posed the question on whether Sereno had declared her earnings from the NAIA 3 cases in her SALN, considering that foreign and local lawyers who represented the government in arbitration proceedings in Singapore and Washington had reportedly earned P2.6 billion.

Sereno, the first woman appointed to the fifth highest post in the land, released her SALN Thursday night after giving her consent during full-court session of SC justices last Tuesday.

Confusion

The historic release of the Chief Justice’s SALN, however, was marred with confusion as Sereno’s office and the SC clerk of court released two different copies of her 2011 SALN to the media.

In the SALN released by the SC clerk of court to a media outfit last Wednesday, Sereno had P18,029,575.51 in net worth or total assets of P19,271,778.85 and liability of P1,242,203.34 at the end of last year.

But a copy she released to media at 8 p.m. last Thursday showed net worth of P17,985,375.51 from total assets amounting to P19,227,578.85 and liability of P1,242,203.34 or a discrepancy of P44,200.

Early yesterday, Sereno’s office issued a statement via email to reporters saying the second copy was an “uncorrected version.”

“The correction of the SALNs of the members of the court has been authorized by the court en banc. The correct version is the one released by the clerk of court,” the Chief Justice clarified.

The corrected version of Sereno’s SALN removed an entry of P1 million in the “improvements” column for a house and lot in Filinvest East purchased in 2005. The house has an acquisition cost of P4.5 million and current fair market value of P6 million.

It also indicated investments worth P1,203,400 while the old version of the SALN has receivables of P3,537,130.25 less five percent allowance for bad debts.

The updated document also stated that Sereno has liabilities of P116,692.24 to Ma. Sophia Sereno and Ma. Lycette Ramos. The old version does not have this information.

Sereno’s SALN also shows she has three houses and lots in Filinvest East in Cainta, Cavite, and Davao – worth a total of P9.175 million which she purchased prior to her appointment to the SC in August 2010.

Just last year, she bought a lot in the same subdivision in Rizal for P2.1 million.

The SALN also shows Sereno has three vehicles registered in her name: a 2005 model Toyota Altis, a 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer and 1997 Toyota Corolla. She has P1,185,602 million in cash deposits in bank.

In summary, Sereno has a total of P8,281,500 in real properties and P10,990,278.85 in personal and other properties. Her liabilities include a P1-million loan from BPI Family bank.

Her husband, Mario Sereno, is engaged in the construction industry and the Federation of Philippine Industries.

A comparison with her SALN in 2010, in which she declared P17,762,167.26, showed an increase by P267,408 in her net worth.

The other 13 justices have also released their SALNs to a requesting TV station (Solar News) after about two months of processing under guidelines set by the high court.

Other media outfits have requested for the SALNs, but the SC only approved the request of one network last Tuesday because of incomplete requirements submitted by other applicants. Requesting parties are required to pay fees for copies of the SALN of justices.

Based on the summary of SALNs, Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo was the wealthiest among the justices with a declared net worth of P108,904,519.37 in 2011.

Associate Justice Arturo Brion is at the bottom of the list, with net assets worth P1,498,509.

Senior Justice Antonio Carpio has net worth of P79,895,025.57 in 2011, while Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. has P7,264,064, Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro P7,941,000, Justice Diosdado Peralta P22,642,264.73, Justice Lucas Bersamin P18,811,447.87, Justice Roberto Abad P42,100,000, Justice Martin Villarama Jr. P19,074,165.20, Justice Jose Perez P9,380,000, Justice Jose Mendoza P27,408,152.36, Justice Bienvenido Reyes P75,146,199 and Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe P67,101,327.

The flurry of SALN releases came after the ouster through impeachment of Renato Corona last May 29. Corona was found guilty of culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust for failure to declare millions worth of properties in his SALN. 

It was the first time after over 20 years that SC justices have made their SALN public.

Meanwhile, Sereno said she wants a perfect attendance of SC officials and employees during her first flag-raising ceremony as chief justice on Monday. 

“The Chief Justice has ordered all SC officials and employees to attend the flag-raising ceremony,” Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez bared.

Attendance at flag-raising ceremony in the SC at the start of a week is required “but not strictly enforced.”

Records showed that since her appointment in August 2010 as associate justice, Sereno has attended less than 10 flag-raising ceremonies.

Breathing space

Senior administration lawmakers, meanwhile, called on critics and the public to give Sereno “breathing space” and “a serene start” to focus on her efforts to implement reforms in the judiciary.

Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara and Western Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento, in separate statements, said Sereno must be allowed to “compose herself as she assumes her monstrous responsibility.”

“Let’s give her the chance,” Angara said. “I am confident that Chief Justice Sereno will rise up to all the challenges facing the nation’s judicial system,” he said.

“Yes, let’s give her the chance. As the youngest member of the high court, it will surely be a challenge for Chief Justice Sereno to lead her older and more experienced peers but it is a chance for her to transform and reform the judiciary,” he said.

“She might just be the needed balm to ease the pains facing the judiciary,” Sarmiento said.

The lawmakers, however, said while Sereno has all the time – 18 years – to prove her worth, she should never be complacent.

“Every leader has his or her own leadership style. Let’s give her the chance to take off,” Sarmiento said.

“Our people’s confidence and support are crucial to this era of reformation,” Angara said. – Paolo Romero, Jess Diaz