Disclaimer

MANILA, Philippines - Reference is made to the article entitled: “Two Sons of GMA also Richer” written by Mr. Delon Porcalla and published in your newspaper in its 22 May 2009 issue wherein I was listed as the 4th “richest” member of the House of Representatives. As indicated, Mr. Porcalla based his article on the 2008 Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) of congressmen, as provided by the House of Representatives in May 2009.

Realizing the need to rectify my original SALN submission, as I categorically disclaim and don’t deserve the “honor” being included in the group of 10 richest members of the House of Representatives, I filed my amended 2008 SALN in August 2009 based on a certified financial report of an independent auditor, copy of which is hereby attached for your reference.

The reason why my “net worth” ballooned up to P441.1 million based on the originally filed 2008 SALN was the inadvertent inclusion of the saleable value of a portion of the 2.99-hectare memorial park project developed by my company, the Green Options International Development Corporation, on a joint venture arrangement prior to my winning a first-term in Congress. This means that the potential revenue due from the long-term sale of a portion of memorial lots that is due my company, as a joint venture partner, was instead listed as my personal asset. Certainly, the long-term income due my company from the joint venture partnership must not be exclusively listed as mine. Because of such a listing, the value of my net worth overly appreciated and/or exceeded my true net worth.

With the rectification made in August 2009, my corrected but true net worth determined at P33,676,115 relegated me to the ranks of Congressmen with modest or lowest net worth. I am sharing with you a copy of my amended 2008 SALN.

I am writing to inform you, Sir, that my contenders in the Congressional seat and certain political quarters in San Jose del Monte City, ‘drum up’ the issue of my being the 4th “richest” Congressman in the 14th Congress. This they do by directly lifting or quoting from the 22 May 2009 article of Mr. Porcalla. My opponents harp on wrong information and make a travesty of truth if only to gain political mileage. Worse, as this may be unknown to you, they are making an undeserving and unauthorized use of The Philippine STAR to banner a “supposedly good government platform and in waging a self-serving political campaign; reduce your newspaper into a “cheap, reproducible flier form” to discredit my person, and purposely distort the true intent of Mr. Porcalla’s article to suit their selfish political ends.

For the sake of truth and so as to safeguard the public from being grossly misinformed by the unauthorized usage or reference to the said article, it is my wish, as I hereby request you, Sir, to publish in your newspaper my herein disclaimer, either as an independent article or a news item. To you rest the discretion of pursuing appropriate action against the persons who made such an unauthorized usage of the name of your newspaper.

Thank you for yielding the herein request of someone who truly holds your newspaper in highest regard because of its able servicing of truth through responsible journalism.