MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go is among the “poorest” in the Senate.
Go, who started serving as President Duterte’s aide when he was the mayor of Davao City, declared a total net worth of P15.5 million as of June 30, the day he officially started his six-year term as senator.
Detained Sen. Leila de Lima, the President’s harshest critic, remains the poorest in the 24-member chamber. She declared a net worth of P7.7 million in her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).
Villar wealthiest
On the other hand, Sen. Cynthia Villar, wife of real estate tycoon Manny Villar, a former Senate president, kept her distinction as the wealthiest senator, declaring a net worth of P3.53 billion as of June 30.
Villar’s total wealth slightly declined from her previous net worth of P3.7 billion.
As in the past three years, international boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao is the only other billionaire in the Senate, with a net worth of more than P3 billion.
Speaking with reporters in Clark Field, Pampanga, Go played down his being at the bottom of the list of the Senate’s richest members.
“That’s the truth. I’m just saying the truth. What I declared (in my SALN) are my real assets even then,” Go said.
“But for me, I’m the richest in terms of providing public service,” he said. “The Senate is not about having the biggest wealth anyway. What’s important is to serve our fellow Filipinos.”
Third richest
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto maintains his spot as the third wealthiest senator, with a net worth of P555.3 million, while Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri is fourth with a net worth of P183 million.
Completing the top 10 are returning Sen. Bong Revilla (P164.2 million), Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara (P139 million), Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon (P97.7 million), Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian (P96.2 million), Sen. Grace Poe (P95.7 million) and Sen. Pia Cayetano (P82.3 million).