BIR to look into Centerways' Lubiano's tax returns

Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Charlito Mendoza said Thursday that they will look into Centerways Construction and Development Inc. president Lawrence Lubiano, who donated P30 million for the 2022 senatorial bid of Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero. 

“Ibig sabihin meron siyang asset na P30 million na binigay niya, so ibabangga naman natin ito sa mga tax returns na sinampa niya. Kung ‘yun bang kaniyang buwis ay tumutugma doon sa asset na ito,” he told reporters at the sidelines of the filing of tax evasion complaint against two contractors.

(It means he has an asset worth P30 million that he gave, so we will compare this against the tax returns he filed. Whether the taxes he paid match this asset.)

“Titignan po namin ‘yan (we will look into that),” he added. 

Escudero and Lubiano were recently cleared by the Commission on Elections' Political Finance and Affairs Department, which said that the donation did not violate the Omnibus Election Code as Lubiano and his firm are separate entities. 

Lubiano earlier said that his donation to Escudero's campaign 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.) 

Escudero has 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. —AOL, GMA Integrated News