SC Justice Gesmundo addresses discrepancy in his cash assets

Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Alexander Gesmundo, an applicant for chief justice, on Friday explained the discrepancy in his cash assets as declared in official records.

Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) member and retired judge Toribio Ilao Jr. noticed that Gesmundo had P14 million in cash based on his 2019 Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

However, Gesmundo’s declaration in his datasheet indicated he had P22 million in cash assets as of February 2021.

“I think the difference, the one you’re talking [about] in the SALN, is the year-end figure," said Gesmundo said during the public interview. "On the other hand, the other figure you’re looking at is based on the requirements of the JBC [to] state the latest amount of deposit.

“The cut-off period explains the discrepancy, Your Honor.”

Gesmundo said that he favors transparency when it comes to the SALNs of the SC justices.

“They can possibly get the entire copy of the SALN but they have to consider also, as we have said in our circular, the purpose must be legitimate,” he said. — DVM, GMA News