Absent-prone Pacquiao, Ledesma top list of richest congressmen in 2015

MANILA, Philippines – The top two absentees of the House of Representatives are also the richest congressmen of 2015.

Based on the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) summary report released by the House on Wednesday, June 8, newly-elected Senator and outgoing Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao remains the richest congressman with a net worth of P3.27 billion.

Next to him is outgoing Negros Occidental 1st district Representative Jules Ledesma, who declared a net worth of P1.01 billion.

They are the only congressmen whose net worth exceeded a billion in the latest SALNs submitted by government officials.

Last year, based on 2014 SALN submissions, Pacquaio was also the richest congressman, while Ledesma ranked 5th in terms of wealth declarations.

Coincidentally, they are also the two top absentees in the House of Representatives. They are tied, at 60 absences each, having the most number of absences in the 15th Congress.

For 2014, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that the two had the least number of sessions attended in the House. Pacquaio was present only for 4 days, while Ledesma was present for 7 days.

Meanwhile, completing the top 10 House members with the highest net worth for 2015 are:

3. reelected Quezon City 4th district Representative Feliciano Belmonte Jr. – P941.65 million
4. reelected Ilocos Norte 2nd district Representative Imelda Marcos – P917.80 million
5. reelected Negros Occidental 3rd district Representative Alfredo Benitez – P880.02 million
6-7. couple reelected Las Piñas Representative Mark Villar and DIWA partylist Representative Emmeline Aglipay – P689.54 million
8. outgoing Leyte 1st district Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez – P475.62 million
9. reelected Pampanga 2nd district Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo – P393.92 million
10. outgoing Rizal 1st district Representative Joel Roy Duavit – P302.63 million

Romualdez lost in the senatorial elections, while Duavit opted not to run and fielded instead his brother Michael John.

Only partylist representatives Abigail Faye Ferriol (KALINGA) and Fernando Hicap (Anakpawis) declared a net worth of less than a million – P715,150 and P43,239.14, respectively.

Below is the complete list of net worth declared by all House members in 2015:

The deadline for all government officials and employees to submit their SALNs is April 30. – Rappler.com