3 more senators release SALNs
Two show biz personalities turned lawmakers, Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Sen. Robinhood Padilla, and Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian have publicized their latest statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN).
Sotto declared a net worth of P188.86 million as of June 30, 2025, while Padilla had a net worth of P244,042,908.57 as of December 31, 2024.
Gatchalian reported a net worth of P89.5 million as of Dec. 31, 2024.
According to his SALN, Sotto’s assets are valued at P465,604,461.40, made up of real properties worth P335,171,748.25 and personal properties, including cash and vehicles, amounting to P130,432,713.15.
The Senate leader also declared bank and personal loans as well as other payables amounting to P276,736,338 under his liabilities.
He has business interests in VST Production Specialists Inc. and TVJ Productions Inc., a media production company he co-owns with brother Vic Sotto, comedian-actor Joey de Leon, and media company MediaQuest Holdings.
Sotto disclosed that four of his relatives, including daughter Romina Frances Sotto, niece Beverly Anne Sotto, niece-in-law Katherine Anne Roxas, and grand nephew lawyer Valentin Jose Dominic Fregil work as employees in his Senate office.
Other relatives in the government include son Gian Carlo Sotto (Quezon City vice mayor), daughter Diorella Maria Sotto-Antonio (Movie and Television Review and Classification Board chair), nephew Victor Eriko Sotto (Parañaque City councilor), and nephew Victor Maria Regis Sotto (Pasig City mayor).
No debts
Padilla, meanwhile, listed as his assets real properties amounting to P100,504,880, and personal properties worth 143,538,028.57.
He listed no liabilities in his SALN.
He declared business interests in motion picture, video production, and distribution; buying, selling, renting, leasing, operation of dwellings, and in the retail business of his wife, actress Mariel Padilla.
Other relatives
His niece, Bettina Padilla, works as legislative staff officer IV in his Senate office.
Other relatives in the government include his half brother, Ricarte Padilla (Camarines Norte governor); half brother Casimero Padilla IV (vice mayor in Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte); half sister Rebecca Padilla (National Liga Board Member for Camarines Norte); nephew Don Eduardo Padilla (Camarines Norte provincial administrator), and nephew Jeroy Agustin Padilla (Jose Panganiban Camarines Norte municipal councilor).
Meanwhile, Gatchalian’s assets are valued at P40.17 million in real properties, and P49.34 million in personal properties, including cash, shares of stocks, and vehicle.
The senator also declared no liabilities in his SALN.
He has business interests and financial connections with Wellex Industries Inc. and Iloilo Country Club, among others.
Two of his brothers are also in the government, namely, Social Welfare Secretary Rexlon Gatchalian and Valenzuela City Mayor Weslie Gatchalian.
Relaxed rules
Sen. Risa Hontiveros also earlier released a copy of her official SALN for 2024.
As of Dec. 31, 2024, the senator declared total assets of P19.88 million, liabilities of P897,840, and a net worth of P18.99 million.
She listed a car loan amounting to P897,890,000 under her liabilities.
She also disclosed that she has been a stockholder of dive resort Planet Dive Inc. , a member of Nueva Ecija-based New Rural Bank of San Leonardo Inc., and director of La Lina Corp.
Hontiveros said that she strongly supports and welcomes the removal of the “unjust, unconstitutional and anti-people restrictions” on access to public officials’ SALNs.
The senator was referring to restrictions on the disclosure of SALNS imposed by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla’s predecessor, Samuel Martires, which included such requirements as a notarized consent from the officials concerned, a court order for a SALN’s release in relation to a pending case, and if the statements are also needed by the Ombudsman’s field investigators for a fact-finding probe.
Remulla’s Memorandum Circular No. 3, Series of 2025, relaxed public access to government officials’ SALNs by removing the requirement for the subject’s consent.
It requires those requesting SALNs to present two valid IDs and pay a fee, but it also includes new provisions requiring media to submit their reports based on the SALN within five days of publication.
