Francis Jardeleza remains richest Supreme Court justice

MANILA, Philippines — Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza remains the richest magistrate of the Supreme Court, while Associate Justice Marvic Leonen is still the poorest.

A summary of the 2017 statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) of SC justices showed that Jardeleza had a net worth of P261,076,233.24 last year, or about P9 million bigger than his net worth of P252,165,867.36 in 2016.

Jardeleza’s real property remained at P58.9 million while his personal property was at P202.1 million with zero liability. He jointly filed his SALN with wife Concepcion.

Leonen, on the other hand, had a net worth of P2,964,314.57 in 2017 – slightly higher than his 2016 net worth of P2.485 million.

Trailing Jardeleza – just like in 2016 – were Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo with 2017 net worth of P141,540,867.20, Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa (P123,800,000), acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio (P105,878,242.7) and Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe (P81,299,650.23).

Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta ranked sixth richest among SC justices with 2017 net worth of P48,209,650.25, followed by associate justice Lucas Bersamin with a net worth of P44,445,828.

The list included now Ombudsman Samuel Martires with a net worth of P41,878,000 in 2017, ousted chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno with P27,340,711.80, now retired associate justice Presbitero Velasco Jr., with a net worth of P22,081,205.80 and now retired chief justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro with P19,766,075.12 in 2017 from P24.2 million in 2016.

Associate Justice Noel Tijam is 12th on the list with 2017 net worth of P19,101,193.23, followed by Associate Justices Alexander Gesmundo and Andres Reyes Jr. with P8,245,894.00 and P5,699,621.04, respectively.

The high court annually releases the SALN of its justices as part of the judiciary’s transparency campaign.

Issues on SALN had led to ouster of two chief justices – the late former chief justice Renato Corona in 2012 via impeachment and Sereno last May via quo warranto petition filed by the solicitor general.