The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has ordered Sen. Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero to explain the P30-million campaign donation he received from a contractor during his 2022 senatorial campaign.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia confirmed on Saturday, October 4, that a show cause order (SCO) was sent to Escudero on Friday.
The senator has been directed to appear before the poll body’s Political Finance and Affairs Department on October 13.
The order follows a similar directive issued earlier against Lawrence Lubiano, president of Centerways Construction and Development Inc., who admitted during a House hearing that he donated P30 million to Escudero’s campaign. Lubiano claimed the funds came from his personal account, not from the company.
Garcia said the Comelec is determining whether the donation violated Section 95 of the Omnibus Election Code, which prohibits contractors or entities with government projects from contributing to political campaigns.
”Yan ang pinaka-puno’t dulo ng magiging desisyon ng Comelec,’ Garcia said in an interview on Dobol B TV, referring to whether the donation was made in a personal or official capacity.
Escudero acknowledged receiving the donation but denied any involvement in flood control projects in his home province of Sorsogon or other areas.
Centerways Construction is among 15 contractors previously identified by President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. as having cornered about 20% of the government’s flood control project contracts.
Garcia clarified that Escudero was not being singled out, saying the poll body is also looking into alleged illegal donations received by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte during their 2022 campaign, as well as other names mentioned in the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism report.
Malacañang has said Marcos is open to being investigated over the reported campaign donations.
Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal previously said that soliciting or receiving donations from individuals or entities with government contracts is an election offense punishable by imprisonment and disqualification from public office.
The ongoing investigations also coincide with congressional inquiries into flood control projects after Marcos revealed that contractors linked to several lawmakers had cornered massive government flood control contracts.