Albee, Jules in top 5
among richest solons
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Philippine boxing icon and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao is the richest lawmaker in the House of Representatives with a net worth of P1,770,566,772, while two congressmen from Negros Occidental are also in the top five.

Rep. Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) is the fourth richest with P702,065,517, while in fifth place is Rep. Julio “Jules” Ledesma IV (Neg. Occ., 1st District) with P590,557,605, based on the summary report of filed statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) for calendar year 2012 by House members of the 15th Congress.

Benitez listed P459,419,415 in real properties, P352,437,204 in personal properties, P811,856,619 in total assets, P109,791,102 in liabilities, for a net worth of P702,065,517.

Negrenses in
House to increase
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Three more Negrenses are expected to gain seats in the House of Representatives via their partylist groups.

Commission on Elections Commissioner Ma. Grace Cielo Padaca yesterday named the top 25 groups that had garnered at least 2-percent of the total number of votes cast for partylists, which makes them eligible to seats in the House of Representatives.

Of the 25 groups, those with first representatives from Negros Occidental are Bayan Muna with Neri Colmenares of Bacolod City, Magdalo with Gary Alejano of Sipalay City, and Trade Union Congress of the Philippines with Roland de La Cruz of Murcia.

Dumping story
black propa: Leonardia
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

“Let the figures speak for themselves.”

This was what Bacolod Mayor and Congressman-elect Evelio Leonardia yesterday said in reaction to text messages being circulated that he dumped his partymate, mayoralty candidate Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, during the May 13 elections.

“That is impossible. In the first place, that is not my character,” he said.

Leonardia, NPC-Grupo Progreso district chairman, pointed out that based on figures,96 percent of those who voted him also voted for Sayson.