Sen. Cynthia A. Villar remains the richest member of the Senate but she has company as a billionaire in Sen. Manny Pacquiao.
Villar, in her 2016 Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth, declared a P3.606 billion net worth without any liabilities. Pacquiao is second with P3.072 billion net worth – P3.422 billion in assets and P350.6 million in liabilities.
Sen. Antonio F. Trillanes IV, a known critic of the Duterte administration, is the “poorest” senator with a net worth of P6.506 million, dislodging Sen. Francis Joseph “Chiz” G. Escudero, who has a net worth of P6.602 million.
Third poorest senator is Leila M. de Lima, another staunch critic of the Duterte administration, with a net worth of P6.617 million and liabilities of P3.182 million. De Lima is detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City over allegations of involvement in the illegal drugs trade.
Third richest senator is Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto with a net worth of P522.6 million and liabilities of P87.885 million. Fourth richest is Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, P124 million; and fifth is Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, P121.768 million.
Sixth is Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, P92.141 million; Sen. Grace Poe, P88.480 million, lower than her P89 million net worth in 2015; Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon, P82.482 million; Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, P79.130 million; Sen. Richard Gordon, P66.928 million;
Senate Majority Leader Vicente C. Sotto III, P63.800 million; Sen. Nancy Binay, P60.483 million; Sen. Loren Legarda, P40.911 million; Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, P38.703 million; Sen. Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV, P33.860 million.
Former Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, newly appointed Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary, posted a P24.132-million net worth.
Cayetano was followed by Senators Joel Villanueva, P21.519 million, and Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II, P21.279 million;
Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, {17.734 million; Sen. Risa Hontiveros, P16.332 million, and Sen. Francis Pangilinan, P9.288 million. (Hannah L. Torregoza)