Morales richer by P17.778M since assuming Ombudsman post

The net worth of outgoing Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales has increased by more than P17.778 million since her appointment as chief of the anti-graft body in 2011, according to her Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

Morales declared a net worth of P58,527,347.84 million as of December 31, 2017, or about P4.4 million higher compared to her 2016 wealth of P54.13 million.

Morales, who retires as Ombudsman in July, started her seven-year term with a net worth of P40.749 million.

The biggest gain in the wealth of Morales came from her personal properties, which increased by more than P9.936 million after seven years.

Morales said her personal properties, which include cars, jewelries, books and cash investments, had a total worth of P38.976 million in 2017. This only amounted to P29.040 million in 2011.

Morales reported in her 2016 SALN that her personal properties had a total amount of P34.49 million.

The bulk of the increase came from Morales' cash on hand and cash investments inclusive of retirement benefits at the Supreme Court Savings and Loan Association (SCSLA) and other cooperatives worth P35.028 million.

She had declared her personal properties to be around P25 million seven years ago.

It may be recalled that Morales served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court for eight years before former President Benigno Aquino III appointed her as Ombudsman.

In 2017, the Provident Fund of Morales which was acquired from 2014 to 2017 amounted to P124,787 while her collection of jewelries, books, furniture antiques, and silverware purchased since 1972 had a cost of P3.3 million.

From four motor vehicles seven years ago, Morales only declared a car purchased in 2003 worth P390,000 and a P132,850 van acquired in 2011.

Real properties

Meanwhile, the worth of the real properties of Morales had a difference of P5.53 million compared to when she started her term as Ombudsman and her second-to-the-last SALN before retirement.

The latest property purchased by Morales in 2013 is a condominium unit in Makati City worth P4.9 million.

She also declared two residential lots and a house in Muntinlupa City valued at P3.33 million, including improvements. The improvements were not included in 2011.

The other properties of Morales including three condominium units valued at P8.5 million, a house and lot in Lemery Batangas valued at P2.6 million, and two memorial lots in Paranaque City valued at P301,500 have remained the same for seven years.

Liabilities, connections

As for her liabilities, Morales no longer has the P2.4-million amortization she had in 2011 and instead declared an outstanding balance of P88,000 with Rustan's for a "personal item" in 2017. She had declared no liability in her 2016 SALN.

Morales stated her memberships at Provident, SCSLA, and an unnamed cooperative as her financial connections. These connections were the same in 2016 but she had none in 2011.

Out of nine relatives in 2011, Morales said she has three members of her family working in the government—her son Eugenio Morales III who is a land examiner in Muntinlupa City; her brother Emmanuel Carpio who is Presiding Judge of Davao City Regional Trial Court Branch 16; and her nephew Waldo Carpio who is a current Assistant Secretary of the Department of Agriculture.

Morales will file another SALN within 30 days after her retirement as required under Section 8 of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. —KG, GMA News