Comelec: 6 Senate bets in Eleksyon 2025 received donations from contractors

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday said six senatorial candidates in the 2025 May midterm polls supposedly received donations from contractors. 

Comelec chairperson George Garcia told Super Radyo dzBB in an interview that as of Tuesday, the poll body found 26 contractors that served as donors in the past elections. 

“As of kahapon, sinabi natin 24. Nakaka-26 na po tayo na mga kontratista ngayon na nakita na tumulong sa mga kandidato — national at meron din po local,” Garcia said. 

(As of yesterday, we said 24. We have now reached 26 contractors who we found out donated to candidates — national and local ones.) 

“At sa national po, tama po, meron pong mga anim na kandidato sa pagkasenador ang nabigyan ng tulong ng mga kontratista,” he added.

(For national, that’s right, there are about six senatorial candidates who have been helped by contractors.)

Garcia did not mention in the interview the names of the six senatorial candidates or the contractors.

However, Garcia noted that the Comelec still needs to verify with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) if these contractors were booked for government projects. 

Contractors in government projects are prohibited from contributing funds to candidates under the Omnibus Election Code.

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”

Resolution out this October

Meanwhile, for the 2022 polls, Garcia said a total of 55 contractors were found to be donors to several candidates.

The DPWH however has yet to verify if these contractors were in government projects, due to the department’s busy schedule for the probe into flood control projects, he added. 

Garcia said one of these contractors admitted to having government projects so the Comelec was able to pursue the investigation. 

The concerned contractor and candidate have already submitted their explanation on the supposed P30 million donation, he said. 

According to the Garcia, the Comelec may issue a resolution on the case this October. 

Centerways Construction and Development Inc. president Lawrence Lubiano in September said that his P30 million donation to Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero for the 2022 campaign was from his own pocket.

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.

Escudero filed on Oct. 14 a manifestation explaining his side to the Comelec on the P30-million campaign contribution he received from Lubiano for his 2022 senatorial bid.

“Our position is clear: the donation was legal, fully declared, and follows long-standing practice. The law is on our side, and we are confident the Comelec will find no fault,” Ramon Esguerra, legal counsel for Escudero, said in a message to reporters.

If proven guilty, the Comelec earlier said contractors will face one to six years of imprisonment. For the candidates, aside from the same jail time, they will face perpetual disqualification to hold public office. 

For the candidates who are currently holding a position, Garcia said there is a different process for their possible removal from office but this is already outside the jurisdiction of the Comelec. —KG, GMA Integrated News

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