Unlike another Co, Kabataan Rep. Renee may be 20th Congress’ ‘poorest’
As they have done many times in the past, representatives of Makabayan partylists made public their Statements of Assets and Liabilities to demonstrate transparency and accountability in public service.
Kabataan Youth Party Rep. Renee Co appears to be 20th Congress’ “poorest” member, with “only” P280,000 to her name, consisting mostly of ordinary items (P20,000), gadgets (P120,000) and savings of (P120,000).
Co, a young lawyer, said cash-on-hand at the time of filing was P20,000.
Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Sarah Elago said her assets are less P1.2 million consisting of a residential lot (P101,000), a vehicle (P660,000) and ordinary items such as gadgets and clothes.
Elago first served as two-term representative of Kabataan and returned to the House of Representatives last month.
Serving his fourth term as ACT Teachers Party Rep., Antonio Tinio is the “richest” among the three progressive lawmakers with P16.3 million in assets.
His biggest asset is a condominium with an assessed value of P14 million, excluding the value of two parking slots.
Tinio is married to a fellow educator and university executive.
He also listed a house and lot that he inherited from his parents, National Artist for Literature Rolando Tinio and stage actor Ella Luansing.
Tinio’s other assets are three bicycles. He was once a semi-professional cyclist.
All three lawmakers did not list liabilities.
Makabayan’s disclosure of their representatives’ SALNs was made after newly-appointed Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla reversed his predecessor’s refusal to grant requests regarding SALNs of public officials, citing data privacy laws.
Unlike the Makabayan representatives, several of their peers in Congress own fleets of luxury vehicles, and aircraft that ongoing investigations suggest were acquired from pork barrel kickbacks.
Representatives and senators are commonly regarded as the most corrupt public officials in the country.
Former Makabayan members in past Congresses, including Anakpawis and Bayan Muna members, were traditionally the poorest lawmakers of the Philippines.
None have ever been involved in corruption in their eight terms in Congress spanning 24 years. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
