City agriculturist Mandaue’s poorest department head

CEBU, Philippines - Mandaue’s city agriculturist and the head of its housing body are the poorest officials of the city, as shown in their 2016 Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

City Agriculture Department Head Rolando Tero has a negative net worth, or a liability worth P245,000, while Housing on Urban Development Office (HUDO) head Tony Pit Juanico has an P181,816 negative net worth.

Juanico’s office assists legally organized associations of underprivileged and homeless citizens.

His SALN declared assets worth P754,000 for his vehicles as personal properties. He lives in Barangay Alang-Alang and listed P935,516 in liabilities and with no real properties.

Tero, on the other hand, declared total assets of P1.155-million. He has a residential house and lot in Talisay City and agricultural land in San Remigio town but with no real properties in Mandaue. His liabilities reached P1.4-million taken from GSIS and other personal loans.

As to the richest department head, City Legal Officer Omar Redulla topped the list, with his personal and other properties totaling P58.070-million. His properties include a house in Barangay Looc and two houses and lots in Florida in the United States that he purchased in 2004.

His other properties include various vehicles and cash in the bank, while his liabilities totaled P6.056 million in liabilities. All of  his family members are living in the US.

Mandaue City Hospital Chief Maria Lourdes Espinoza is second richest Mandaue City department head with P16.572 million worth of properties.

Espinoza also listed real properties in Talisay City, Cebu City, and Consolacion town amounting to P17.164-million, and other properties that include cash deposits amounting to P6-million. She has a liability of P441,600.

Lawyer Mae Elaine Bathan, the chief of staff of Mayor Gabriel Luigi Quisumbing, is third with P12.244 million in properties that include a lot and a building in Mandaue and cash amounting to P7 million. She has liabilities totaling P200,000 from her credit card.

Completing the list were City Administrator Danilo Almendras (P7.5-million with no liabilities); City Budget Officer Giovannie Tianero (P5.048-million); CENRO Officer Araceli Barlan, P4.836-million; General Services Office Head Marivic Cabigas, P2.227-million; City Planning Officer Marlo Ocleasa, P1.7-million; City Health Officer Edna Seno, P1.272 million; and City Secretary Felyn Manubag, P1.1-million. Traffic Head Glenn Antigua only has P149,000 with no real properties declared. 

The City Legal Office did not have the SALNs of City Treasurer Regal Oliva and City Social Welfare and Services Office Head Violeta Cavada.

Public officials and employees are required to submit their SALN as stipulated under Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) and Republic Act 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees).

RA 3019 requires public officials to declare under oath their assets and liabilities and the public’s right to know their assets, liabilities, net worth and financial and business interests, including those of their spouses and of unmarried children under 18-year-old and are  still living with them.

Those who fail to do so or those who made false items in the document may be slapped with a criminal case.

Submission of SALNs allows the anti-graft office to monitor an official’s wealth and to determine if  he is not a government official’s lifestyle does not exceed his income. (FREEMAN)