THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has tagged 31 companies as having potentially made prohibited campaign contributions during the May 2025 polls.
In an interview on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the poll body has sought certification from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to determine whether the 31 firms had government contracts at the time of the elections.
“Our Political Finance and Affairs Department has sent a letter to the DPWH for the certification of 31 companies that are possibly public works contractors during the 2025 elections,” said Garcia.
“The checking of all 2025 Statements of Contributions and Expenditures was completed just last week. Therefore, we immediately sent a new request for certification by the DPWH,” he added.
Asked how many candidates and political parties may have benefited from prohibited campaign donations in the 2025 polls, Garcia said there are around 20.
“About 20 candidates out of the 31 contractors. We have cases wherein a candidate received contributions from four or six contractors. It’s not always one contractor to one candidate,” he said.
Last week, the Comelec said four senatorial candidates and two party-list groups that ran in the 2025 polls were found to have possibly received prohibited campaign donations from 21 contractors.
Under the Omnibus Election Code, “no contribution for purposes of partisan political activity shall be made directly or indirectly by any natural or juridical person who holds 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.”
27 government contractors
In a related development, the Comelec said the DPWH has already sent its certification regarding 27 companies that possibly gave prohibited campaign contributions during the May 2022 polls.
“According to the DPWH, 27 are government contractors from 2010 onwards, up until 2025,” said Garcia.
The 27 government contractors are: Yunakim Construction; AIP Construction; Centerways Construction and Development Inc.; 11-16 Construction; Prismodial Construction and Development Corporation; Makiling Construction Ventures Corp.; Viking Construction and Supplies; DN'D Construction and Development; Octagon Concrete Solutions Inc.; Jozen Builders and Construction Supply Corporation; Aqualine Construction Corporation; R8 Asphalt Plant and Construction Inc.; EZJONES Construction Inc.; JELM Construction; MWJ Construction; XDR Construction and Supply; Viguz Construction Corporation; Everbuilt Construction; GOC Builders; PAFJ Construction and Supply Inc.; AL Salazar Construction Inc.; EF Chua Construction Inc.; JWU Construction and Supply; DG Chico Trading and Construction; Gateway 21-25 Construction Corp.; Tagum Builders Contractors Corp.; and GP&H Construction Inc.
On the other hand, Garcia said 26 other campaign contributors were found to have no government contracts during the 2022 elections.
“The 26 companies are not government contractors. Therefore, they are not covered by Section 95(c) of the Omnibus Election Code,” he said.
The 26 firms with no government contracts are: Maxan Construction and Trucking Services Inc.; New San Jose Builders Inc.; Dimig Construction Corp.; Creative Pacific Corporation; Inspec Consolidated Construction; Panelo Tolentino Construction Corp.; CT Sanchez Construction Services Corp.; Lewiston Concept Industrial Corporation; Sherbourne Hill Trading Corp.; Geosolid Aggregates; Assan Trading; Cuatro Eres Realty and Development Corp.; Antonio Realty and Development Corp.; ESJ Properties; BTG Holding Inc.; Maxwell Heavy Equipment Corp.; ER Manaid Construction; Cinque Property Concierge Corp.; Railwork Corp.; CLM Builders and Design; Jasper Glass and Aluminum Supply; Karkonz Builders and Consultancy; Engr. Antonio Carabbacan Jr.; L&J Rodrigo Realty Development Inc.; Archinet International Inc.; and ESDEVCO Realty Corp.
The Comelec previously asked the DPWH to check if a total of 54 contractors had existing government contracts at the time of the 2022 polls.
One of the contractors, Lawrence Lubiano, president of Centerways Construction and Development Inc., admitted to donating P30 million to Senator Francis Escudero’s senatorial campaign in the 2022 elections while his firm held several government contracts.
Both Lubiano and Escudero have already responded to the separate show cause orders issued to them by the poll body.
Garcia said the 27 contractors will now each be issued show cause orders to explain their side.
“After the contractors send their answers, we will seek the explanations of the candidates who benefited from their campaign donations,” he said.
Asked how many candidates and political parties were found to have received donations from the 27 contractors, Garcia said they are still verifying the data.
“Once we have issued the show cause orders, we will inform the public who received donations from them,” Garcia added. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)