Comelec: 55 contractors donated to campaigns of Eleksyon 2022 bets

The total number of contractors who donated in the campaign of Eleksyon 2022 bets is now at 55, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Thursday.

Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia reiterated that the poll body is investigating the candidates who ran for the 2022 polls, including presidential and vice-presidential bets over possible illegal campaign donations. 

“Ongoing ang investigation sa lahat ng positions from president, vice-presidents, senators, partylists, congressmen of districts, kasama nga po ang governors at vice governors,” said Garcia.

(We have an ongoing investigation into all candidates from the president, vice president, senators,  partylists, congressmen of districts, governors and vice governors.)

“Sinabi namin na ang hinihingi ng Political Finance and Affairs Department (PFAD) na confirmation sa DPWH [Department of Public Works and Highways] ay 55 na contractors. 52 noong una, may tatlo na dagdag. Yung 3 dagdag ay sa positions na mas mataas sa senador,” he added.

(We said earlier that the PFAD is asking for confirmation from the DPWH if the 55 contractors we identified have government contracts when they made the donations. It was 52 at first but 3 were added and they ran for positions higher than senators.)

The Comelec earlier said it had written to the DPWH to request certifications determining whether the 52 that donated to the candidates in the 2022 polls were engaged in government contracts. However, the agency has yet to respond. 

Escudero next

Meanwhile, Garcia said the Comelec will ask Senator Chiz Escudero to appear before the commission and explain the P30 million campaign donation he received from Centerways Construction and Development Inc. president Lawrence Lubiano. 

Lubiano, through his legal representative, met with the Comelec PFAD on Wednesday, September 24, following the issuance of a show-cause order (SCO) asking him to explain his millions-worth of campaign donation to Escudero and defend why he should not be charged with an election offense for violating Section 95 of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC). 

“Nag-appear na po, natuloy kahapon hearing niya. Nagpunta abogado niya at may dalang documents at explanation na hinihingi natin sa kanya. Therefore, asahan niyo, yung mismong kandidato na nabigyan niya ang susunod na ipapatawag ng PFAD,” Garcia added. 

(Lubiano appeared before the Comelec yesterday. He was represented by his lawyer. Therefore, we can now expect the Comelec to summon the candidate who received the campaign donation.)

At a House hearing, the contractor admitted donating P30 million to Escudero's senatorial bid in 2022. Lubiano, however, said his donation was from his own pocket.

“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.) 

OEC

Contractors in government projects are prohibited from contributing funds to candidates under the OEC.

Under Article XI Section 95 covering electoral contributions and expenditures, the Omnibus Election Code states:

"SECTION 95. Prohibited contributions. – No contribution for purposes of partisan political activity shall be made directly or indirectly by any of the following:

(c) 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