A TOTAL of 34 contractors are now included in the Commission on Elections (Comelec) list of potentially prohibited contributors during the May 2022 polls.
In a radio interview Thursday, September 4, 2025, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the list has now grown to 34 contractors as the investigation by its Political Finance and Affairs Department (PFAD) continues.
"Actually, yung hawak ko ngayon, 34 na. Asahan niyo, hanggang Monday or Tuesday, baka abutin pa ng 100 ang lahat ng pangalan ng contractors na nagbigay sa ating mga kandidato," Garcia said.
(Actually, I now have 34. Expect that by Monday or Tuesday, the total number of contractors who contributed to our candidates could reach 100.)
He added they intend to confirm with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) by Monday which contractors on the list have existing government contracts.
"Aalamin namin ano ang mga contracts nung 30-plus na nasa listahan. Isang batch muna para gumalaw na ang investigation at makapag-file ng proper case for election offense," Garcia said.
(We will check the contracts of the 30-plus on the list. We will handle one batch first so the investigation can move and a proper election offense case can be filed.)
Under the Omnibus Election Code, “no contribution for purposes of partisan political activity shall be made directly or indirectly by natural or juridical persons who hold contracts or subcontracts to supply the government or any of its divisions, subdivisions, or instrumentalities, with goods or services, or to perform construction or other works.”
Violation of this provision constitutes an election offense, which carries a penalty of one to six years’ imprisonment, disqualification from holding public office, and deprivation of the right to vote.
In a related development, Garcia said they are planning to seek an explanation from Centerways Construction and Development Inc. President Lawrence Lubiano ahead of the other contractors on the list.
He said this is because Lubiano already admitted during last Tuesday's congressional inquiry that he made campaign contributions to Senator Chiz Escudero during the May 2022 polls.
"Yung may umamin, actually, kasama siya sa 30-plus e. Therefore, malamang siya ang unang makatanggap ng sulat mula sa amin upang magpaliwanag officially," the poll chief said.
(Those who admitted, actually, are included in the 30-plus. So he will likely be the first to receive a letter from us to explain officially.)
"Maaring sa Monday namin padala sa kanya yun," Garcia added.
(We may send it to him on Monday.)
On Tuesday, Lubiano admitted he donated P30 million to Escudero's senatorial campaign in the 2022 elections while his firm held several government contracts.
Lubiano also confirmed that most of the flood control projects handled by his firm were located in Sorsogon.
Escudero served as governor of Sorsogon from 2019 to 2022. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)