Villar is Senate’s richest member; Escudero poorest

Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food Chairperson Senator Cynthia Villar INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

SEN. CYNTHIA Villar was richer by over P1.5 billion in 2015 than the previous year with no liability at that, allowing her to keep the distinction of being the wealthiest lawmaker in the 24-member Senate.

Villar is the only billionaire in the Senate.

Her net worth rose 77 percent to P3.5 billion as of Dec. 31, 2015, from P1.983 billion in 2014, according to her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).

She said her husband, former Senate President Manuel Villar Jr., chair of listed property firm Vistaland and Lifescapes Inc., knew why they were P1.5 billion richer last year.

In a phone patch interview with reporters covering the Senate, she said her SALN also reflected her husband’s income and properties.

The Villars’ wealth is tied to the booming property business—from subdivisions, high-rise condominiums and malls to convenience and home-building stores, and coffee shops.

The senator’s son, Las Piñas Rep. Mark Villar, has been named incoming public works secretary by presumptive President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, whose PDP-Laban has formed an alliance with the Villars’ Nacionalista Party in the so-called Coalition for Change.

Poorest

The “poorest” among the senators was Sen. Chiz Escudero, with a net worth of P5.847 million, based on his SALN.

The Senate released on Tuesday copies of the SALNs of senators, who had until April 30 to submit their latest SALNs to the chamber.

Escudero’s net worth in 2015 was P130,000 less than the P5.984 million Sen. Sonny Trillanes, the “poorest” senator in 2014.

Trailing Villar with a net worth of P531.67 million was Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto.

He was followed by Senators Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (P211 million), Jinggoy Estrada (P193.16 million), Bong Revilla (P173.3 million), Juan Ponce Enrile (P122.1 million), Sonny Angara (P118.25 million) and TG Guingona (P103.88 million).

The ninth richest senator was  Serge Osmeña  whose net worth was P90.525 million.

He was followed by Senators Grace Poe (P89.1 million), Miriam Defensor Santiago (P85.9 million), Senate President Frank Drilon (P79 million), JV Ejercito (P78.6 million), Pia Cayetano (P73.3 million), Tito Sotto (P66.8 million), Nancy Binay (P61.3 million), Lito Lapid (P43.15 million), Loren Legarda (P40.545 million), Bam Aquino (P28.751 million); Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano (P23.564 million), Gringo Honasan (P20.944 million) and Koko Pimentel (P17.920 million).