Duterte’s presidential bid backed by Davao, Manila businessmen

Known businessmen in Davao as well as several in Metro Manila poured in the biggest contributions to the successful campaign of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte's list of contributors, submitted as part of his statement of contributors and expenditures (SOCE), showed that four Davao-based businessmen gave a total of P165 million, or over half of the total cash donations for his campaign kitty.

Duterte received a total of P375 million from contributions, P298.3 million of which were in cash.

The biggest contributions came from Antonio Floirendo Jr., son of the late banana magnate Antonio Sr., who gave a total of P75 million, divided in two tranches in March and April.

Floirendo Jr., known as Tonyboy, ran and won unopposed for the congressional seat in Davao City's second district, a position he previously held for three terms.

Meanwhile, the following Davao-based businessmen contributed P30 million each: Dennis Uy, founder of Davao-based oil company Phoenix Petroleum; Samuel Uy of Davao farms and Davao Import Distributors, Inc.; and Lorenzo Te, general manager of Honda Cars Davao.

Another P86.5 million in cash contributions came from six other men residing in Metro Manila, most of them businessmen. They include:

* Tomas Alcantara, CEO and president of Alsons Consolidated Resources (which deals with electricity, real estate, and trading and distribution) — P12 million;

* Nicasio Alcantara (Tomas' brother), former CEO of Petron Corporation — P16 million;

* Marcelino Mendoza, Vista Land director and former president of Camella Homes — P14.5 million;

* Michael Regino, president of Agata Mining Ventures and San Agustin Mining Services, Inc. — P14 million;

* Felix Ang, president of CAT Motors — P10 million; and

* Bienvenido Tan — P20 million.

Also contributing a few millions for Duterte's campaign fund were Domingo Tao Uy of Davao City and Patricia Escaler of Makati City, who gave P5 million each; Efren Uy of Las Piñas (P3.5 million), Januario Ramos of Makati (P3 million); and Davao City's Dorelaine Bosquit, John Joseph Bosquit, and Debbie Rodolfo (P2 million).

Other donations to Duterte's campaign ranged from a thousand to a few hundred thousand pesos.

Many of the smaller amounts were listed for rentals of sound system and other equipment.

Duterte also received some P76.7 million worth of contributions in kind, the bulk of which came in the form of tandem advertisements from his running-mate, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

Two items listed under this type of contribution amounted to about P71.2 million.

Former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chief Francis Tolentino contributed—via tandem ads—P3.14 million.

Tolentino, who ranked 13th in the senatorial race, was the top spender among 34 candidates who submitted their SOCEs.

‘Unlike other presidents?’

Months before Duterte decided to finally join the 2016 presidential race, he told reporters at a press conference in Zamboanga City that if he would run, he won't ask for contributions like other presidential candidates.

His estimated then that he needed P10 to P15 billion to win the election, and he said he had no money and he would not ask for it.

A newspaper report in February 2015 quoted Duterte as saying "No way," when asked if he would solicit for his campaign if ever he would decide to join the presidential race.  — LBG/KG, GMA News