P30M campaign donation to Escudero was his own money, says Sorsogon contractor

The president of the Centerways Construction and Development Inc., one of the 15 construction firms that secured government flood control projects, said that his donation to Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero's campaign in 2022 was from his own pocket.

Lawrence Lubiano admitted donating P30 million to Escudero's senatorial bid three years ago during a House hearing on flood control projects.

“Aside from Senator Escudero, may I know if there have been other candidates for either national or local positions that you gave donations to?” Akbayan Party-list Representative Chel Diokno asked the contractor.

Lubiano replied, “Wala na po (None, sir).”  

After Diokno asked questions, Lubiano clarified that his campaign donation was not made through his construction firm. 

“Your honor, personally ko po donation or nag-donate po ako kay Senator Chiz, yung P30 million. Hindi po galing sa company ‘yun, galing po yun sa akin as a personal individual,” he said. 

(Your honor, I personally made the P30 million donation to Senator Chiz. It was not sourced from the company, I gave it as an individual.) 

Escudero earlier admitted to being friends with Lubiano and confirmed that he was one of his campaign contributors during his senatorial campaign in 2022. But he has denied that he intervened in Lubiano’s business and contracts with the government.

During the House tri-com hearing, Lubiano also said that two of his brothers are elected officials — a town mayor and a councilor in Sorsogon.  But he denied having business partners in the government. 

Under the Omnibus Election Code, no contribution for purposes of partisan political activity shall be made directly or indirectly by “natural and juridical persons who hold contracts or sub-contracts to supply the government or any of its divisions, subdivisions or instrumentalities, with goods or services or to perform construction or other works.” —LDF, GMA Integrated News