The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is not singling out Senate President Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero in its investigation of candidates who received campaign donations from government contractors, its chairman clarified on Tuesday.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said the poll body will also look into other donors once the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) confirms how many of the 55 contractor-donors have existing government contracts.
‘With all due respect, the claim that we are singling him out is not true. Senator Chiz was first only because the contractor admitted it, and he himself acknowledged receiving the donation,’ Garcia said in a Zoom interview.
Escudero, in a Senate privilege speech on Monday, questioned why he was the only one being investigated over the alleged campaign donation.
Earlier this month, the Comelec issued a show cause order against Centerways Construction and Development Inc. President Lawrence Lubiano after he admitted during a House hearing on flood control projects that he donated P30 million to Escudero’s 2022 senatorial campaign.
Lubiano later clarified the donation was made ‘personally’ and not through his firm.
Garcia said Lubiano has already appeared before the Comelec, and the next step is to seek Escudero’s side.
He stressed, however, that the senator has the right to decline.
‘That’s fine because it’s part of due process. It’s up to him if he wants to explain and present his defense. We want everyone to be afforded due process so our procedures cannot be questioned later..The candidate doesn’t need to appear personally-his lawyer can represent him,’ Garcia said.
Under Section 95 of the Omnibus Election Code, contractors and suppliers of government projects are barred from contributing to any partisan political activity, directly or indirectly.
The prohibition also covers financial institutions except for legitimate loans, utilities and natural resource extractors, companies with government franchises or contracts, recipients of recent large government loans, publicly funded schools, civil service officials, members of the armed forces, and all foreigners and foreign corporations.
Violators-both donor and recipient-may face imprisonment of one to six years.