Duterte didn’t overspend in 2016 elections — Palace

President Rodrigo Duterte did not breach the campaign spending limit when he ran for the highest elective office in the country in 2016, Malacañang said Monday.

Duterte’s spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the President has not violated any law and that he was open to an investigation on his campaign expenses.

“Every time he’s being accused, eh di mag-demanda kayo kung totoo ‘yung sinasabi ninyo,” Panelo told reporters.

“He has not violated any law and he will not. He enforces the law.”

Asked if the President overspent, Panelo said, “No.”

ABS-CBN reported in a Senate inquiry last week that the President’s camp bought a total of P182 million in commercial spots, an amount higher than the P110 million in campaign ad spending declared by Duterte to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

This prompted election watchdog Kontra Daya to ask the Comelec to investigate Duterte for possible overspending.

Duterte declared a total election campaign spending of P371 million.

The law limits the campaign expenditure of presidential and vice presidential candidates to P10, P5 for political parties and independent candidates, and P3 for other candidates. — RSJ, GMA News