Cynthia Villar, Manny Pacquiao still richest senators

MANILA, Philippines — For the fourth year in a row, Sen. Cynthia Villar has emerged as the richest senator with a net worth of over P3 billion.

The Senate released yesterday the statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) of the senators for 2017, which showed hardly any changes in the rankings of the 23 legislators.

Based on her SALN, Villar recorded a net worth of P3.61 billion, a slight increase from the P3.606 billion she reported in 2016.

Villar, whose family business is real estate, declared no liabilities.

Her husband, former Senate president Manuel Villar Jr., is the chairman of the family’s Vistaland and Lifescapes Inc.

She declared seven relatives working in government, led by her son Mark Villar, secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Villar was followed by Sen. Manny Pacquiao, who reported a net worth of P2.946 billion, down from the P3.072 billion in 2016.

Pacquiao listed his total assets at P3.076 billion, consisting of cash, jewelry as well as several properties in the country and the United States.

The boxing champion reported liabilities amounting to P129.7 million consisting of bank loans. Pacquiao reported his outstanding loans at P350.6 million in 2016.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto came in at third place with a net worth of P538.8 million, from P522.6 million in 2016.

Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri went up one spot to number four with a net worth of P152 million. Compared to 2016, Zubiri was richer by P31 million in 2017.

Going down from fourth to fifth place was Sen. Sonny Angara, who reported a net worth of P131.7 million, up from P123.95 million in 2016.

Sen. Grace Poe was next with a net worth of P90.6 million, followed by Minority Leader Franklin Drilon with P93.7 million.

Poe and Drilon recorded increases in their net worth of P2.2 million and P11.3 million, respectively.

Sliding down two places was Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, whose P88.2 million net worth in 2017 was close to P10 million lower than what he reported in 2016.

Sens. Joseph Victor Ejercito and Richard Gordon were ninth and 10th with net worth of P78.9 million and P69.5 million, respectively.

Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III and Sens. Nancy Binay and Loren Legarda landed in 11th, 12th and 13th places.

Sotto’s net worth went up to P64.7 million from P63.8 million in 2016. Binay’s P60.6 million net worth increased from the previous year’s P60.48 million.

Legarda, who reported a net worth of P51.3 million, was richer by P10.3 million.

In 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th places were Sens. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV (P39.1 million), Panfilo Lacson (P36.3 million), Gregorio Honasan (P25.2 million) and Joel Villanueva (P23.7 million).

All four senators recorded lower net worth compared to the previous year.

As for the “poorest” senators, there was no change from the previous year as Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV was still at the bottom with a net worth of P6.8 million, followed by Francis Escudero at P8.5 million, Leila de Lima at P10.2 million, Francis Pangilinan at P13.4 million, Risa Hontiveros at P16.1 million and Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III at P18.1 million.

Of the six poorest senators, only Hontiveros saw a decline in her net worth while the other five recorded increases.