SALN reports: Yso and Arce poorest, city engineer richest

CEBU, Philippines - While her department objectives are aimed at alleviating poverty and improving the quality of life, city social welfare head Catherine “Cathy” Yso and market administrator Racquel Arce are paupers compared to their peers while city engineering head Kenneth Enriquez is the richest among the department and assistant heads in City Hall based on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Net worth.

In her SALN filed before the Office of the Human Resource and Development Office, Yso, once the secretary of former mayor and incumbent Rep. Tomas Osmeña, only listed in her SALN the amount of P44,000. She declared no properties but has a time deposit worth P100,000; savings of P20,000 and jewelry worth P10,000.

Yso also listed her liabilities amounting to P86,000 while Arce declared in her SALN the amount P52,000.

Topping the list as the richest department head was Enriquez.

According to her SALN, her personal and other properties amounted to P63.430 million. It includes her beach lot in Camotes Island, four condominium units in Las Piñas, Makati City and Tagaytay, and houses and lots in Mactan, Minglanilla and Mandaue City. Her other properties also include various vehicles.

Enriquez listed P11.308 million in liabilities which included the condominium units.

She is the wife of Apollo Enriquez, the chairman of the board of civil engineering. Enriquez was followed by city legal head Joseph Bernaldez posting an amount of P41.320 million in his SALN.

Bernaldez also listed his real properties in Bogo City and Consolacion amounting to P35 million and other properties including cash in hand amounting to P6.347 million. He has a liability of P1 million. Listed number three was city planning and development officer Ma. Concepcion Encabo with P7.991 million.

She was followed by city information officer Carlo Duga-duga, a former radio station manager of Aksyon radio, with P4.8 million. Duga-duga has several properties in Minglanilla, Lapu-Lapu City, Bukidnon and Bohol. He posted no liabilities.

City accountant Marieta Gumia ranked fourth with P3.107 million, CCMC director Eduardo Sedoripa ranked fifth with P2.025 million, Internal Audit System head Arlene Rentuza posted P1.7 million, city administrator Jose Marie Poblete posted P1.398 million, DPS head Dionesio Gualiza posted P1 million and General Services Office chief Rolando Ardosa posted also P1 million.

There is no available SALN yet for city treasurer Ofelia Oliva. They have until April 30 to submit their SALN.

Public officials and employees are required to submit their SALN under Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

RA 3019 stresses the need for public officials to declare under oath their assets and liabilities and the public’s right to know of their assets, liabilities, net worth and financial and business interests including those of their spouses and of unmarried children under 18 still living with them.

Government officials and employees who fail to submit their annual SALN or who stated false items in the document face legal suits.

The submission of SALN allows the anti-graft office to monitor an official’s wealth and to determine if a government official’s lifestyle does not exceed his income. —(FREEMAN)