SC justices OK release of SALNs for academic use

MANILA, Philippines - The statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) of justices of the Supreme Court (SC) may be released not just for public scrutiny but for academic purposes as well.

The high court made this clarification upon receipt of a request from Denzel Edward Cariaga, a first-year law student of Arellano University.

Cariaga made the request for the purpose of complying with the academic requirements in Constitutional Law I, a subject in law school.

In a resolution, the SC granted Cariaga’s request for copies of the SALNs of all justices “subject to the payment of the required fees.”

The SC, however, reminded Cariaga “that he must faithfully comply with his undertaking and declaration in the request and any violation thereof will subject him to liability imposed under Section 11, Republic Act No. 6713, in addition to any criminal, civil or administrative liability.”

Cariaga also asked the high court to furnish him a copy of the Terminal SALN of former chief justice Renato Corona. But this request was not granted since Corona did not submit the required document before he was ousted in May 2012.

The SALNs of justices were only released by the SC after the impeachment of Corona.

In her latest SALN, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno declared a net worth of P18,143,104.01 in 2012.

In 2011, Sereno declared a net worth of P18.029 million, slightly higher than her P17.9-million net worth in 2010.

Justice Mariano del Castillo is so far the richest magistrate with net worth of P109,743,118.28 in 2012. Del Castillo had an increase by some P840,000 from P108,904,519.37 in 2011. He had P110,127,634.66 in total assets and P384,516.38 in total liabilities.

The second richest magistrate of the SC is Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio with P83,885,614.57 net worth in 2012. Carpio had an increase of around P4 million from his SALN of P79,895,025.57 in 2011.

The third richest magistrate is Justice Bienvenido Reyes. He had P76,542,167.31 net worth in 2012. In 2011, he had P75,146,199.

Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe is the fourth richest justice with P73,827,435 net worth in 2012, or an increase of over P5 million from her P67,101,327 net worth in 2011.

The poorest magistrate is newcomer Justice Marvic Leonen, who is also the most junior member of the SC. Leonen had a net worth of P1,674,623.22 in 2012. He had P2,333,679.22 in total assets and P659,056 in liabilities. His SALN showed he had no real properties and only had one car, a Ford Escape.

The third most senior magistrate, Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr., had a net worth of P8,679,740.49; Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro with P8,941,000; Justice Arturo Brion with P11,908,742; Justice Diosdado Peralta with P29,382,037.60; Justice Lucas Bersamin with P18,811,447.87; Justice Roberto Abad with P43.4 million; Justice Martin Villarama Jr. with P21,911,495.36; Justice Jose Mendoza with P29,982,165.66, and Justice Jose Perez with P11.76 million.