AFTER launching an investigation on the presence of prohibited contractors, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Friday, August 22, 2025, said it has an initial count of "three or four" entities that donated to senatorial bets in the May 2022 polls.
In an interview, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said their initial findings revealed that three or four private contractors have contributed to the campaign of senatorial bets despite the prohibitions stated by the Omnibus Election Code (OEC).
"Initially, there were three or four contractors, who were probably public works or government service contractors, and provided assistance to those running for national positions, particularly for senators," said Garcia.
The poll chief said they will ask the said contractors to explain their donations to the senatorial candidates.
"We will write to these contractors who donated to those who ran in 2022," said Garcia.
Under the Omnibus Election Code, "no contribution for purposes of partisan political activity shall be made directly or indirectly by a 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."
"The provision refers to prohibited contributions, so they are prohibited contributors to candidates," said Garcia.
He also said their motu proprio investigation does not yet include the candidates, who may have benefited from the prohibited contributions.
"As to whether the candidates, who benefited from it, are liable, that will be determined later on by the Commission," said Garcia.
Earlier, Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero bared that Lawrence Lubiano, who is the president of the Centerways Construction and Development Inc., was his campaign contributor in the 2022 elections.
Centerways Construction and Development is one of the government's contractors for its flood control projects as disclosed by President Bongbong Marcos Jr.
Escudero's statements prompted the Comelec to conduct a motu proprio investigation on potential violations of the prohibition on campaign donors in the 2022 and 2025 polls. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)
