Poe Eyes Charity
Senator Poe, who ran for the presidency, claimed through her Chief of Staff Nelson S. Victorino, that her excess campaign funds of P704,876.03 will possibly be given to charity work.
“Almost daily, people come to our office at the Senate seeking financial assistance,” Victorino wrote in a letter. “Many of these requests are truly meritorious and Sen. Poe only wish (sic) that there are more funds available at her disposal so that she can help a greater number of people.”
Poe gathered P511.9 million in donations and used up P510.8 million for her campaigns, with an unused fund of P1.1 million left. Her unpaid obligations amounted to P399,861.41.
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Victorino assured that any amount from the fund that will not be used this year will be included in Poe’s annual SALN report in April next year. Poe will also pay the corresponding taxes accordingly, he added.
And Gatchalian?
Senator Gatchalian declared his excess P1.44 million worth of excess donation as his income, said Maria Bernadette V. Sardillo, his lawyer. And it’s all reflected in his SALN which he filed in June 2016, she assured.
In fact, one Gatchalian check of his June 2016 SALN indicates his net worth increased only P334,532.20 from his P92.75 million net worth in his December 2015 SALN. Sardillo said the slight P334,000 plus increase was due to Gatchalian’s personal expenses which he covered with by using the money which was deposited in a bank.
“So, from the time that he submitted his SALN in 2015, there have been transactions in his bank accounts such as withdrawals over time,” Sardillo explained. “It is for this reason that the increase in his SALN will not really be equivalent to P1.44M.”
She added how the senator, “intends to pay the necessary taxes for the declared income when it becomes due.”
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