CJ bets face JBC grilling over income, properties in SALN

THE BIG DAY. Members of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) share a light moment during the public interview for aspirants vying to be the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court on Thursday (Aug. 16, 2018). (From left to right: Atty. Toribio E. Ilao Jr., regular member representing the private sector; Senator Richard Gordon, ex officio member; Retired SC Associate Justice Jose Mendoza, regular member representing the Retired Supreme Court Justices and Executive Committee Chairperson; and Atty. Maria Milagros N. Fernan-Cayosa, regular member representing the Integrated Bar of the Philippines) (PNA photo)

MANILA — The contents of the Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth were among the issues raised by members of the Judicial Council (JBC) in Thursday’s public interview for aspirants vying for the Chief Justice post.

The JBC, in particular, pointed out the significant increase in the income declared by Associate Justices Lucas Bersamin and Diosdado Peralta in their SALNs while it also scrutinized Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro’s real properties.

Bersamin said some of the increases reflected the substantial bank deposits of his wife, Aurora, who is a businesswoman engaged in selling and importing “high end” film-making equipment.

“The jump in my SALN was caused by the cash deposit made by my wife. She deals with the government sporadically but I told her not to offer anything to the Supreme Court,” Bersamin said, noting that his SALN is a joint declaration with his wife.

He added that his wife also invested in properties and she bought a condominium unit which he only included in his SALN after it was fully paid.

Bersamin included the allowances he received as member of the electoral tribunals and remuneration when he served as chair of the Bar Exams Committee in 2017.

In 2017, Bersamin earned PHP976,000 in salaries and allowances as a member of the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) and PHP925,000 as a member of the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET).

“When you get to be a member of the SET or the HRET (House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal), you are given an allowance that is very substantial also, we do not know if that is taxable or not, that impacts on our financial standing,” Bersamin said.

Like Bersamin, Peralta said he also submitted a joint declaration with his wife, Court of Appeals Associate Justice Fernanda Lampas-Peralta.

Peralta said he also received allowances during his chairmanship of the Bar Exams Committee in 2014.

Peralta, said he also received a lump sum from the Social Security System (SSS) after he reached the age of 65 because prior to his entry to the judiciary, he was a lawyer in the private sector and a law professor.

He said the amount he received as pension amounting to more than PHP1 million was also reflected in his SALN.

Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, meanwhile, denied having real properties in Manila, Laguna and Baguio.

She said her only real properties are in Parañaque and Katarungan Village in Muntinlupa, a housing project for employees of the Department of Justice (DOJ) where she previously worked as a state counsel.

De Castro said her husband is engaged in the business of leasing out real properties.

Earlier, the JBC reminded aspirants for the Chief Justice post to submit copies of statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), if they have previously worked in government.

The failure of ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to meet this 10-SALN requirement was among the grounds cited by the SC in granting the quo warranto petition against her.

The petition sought to void Sereno’s appointment as Chief Justice in 2012 due to her failure to submit before the JBC her SALNs she was supposed to have filed during her tenure as law professor of the University of the Philippines (UP).

De Castro, Bersamin and Peralta were among the six justices asked by ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to inhibit from the deliberation on the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida, which was eventually granted by the Court in a decision issued last May 11. The decision became final on June 19.