‘43 contractors must explain 2022 campaign donations’

MANILA, Philippines — Nine more contractors have been identified by the Commission on Elections to have possibly extended donations to candidates in the 2022 elections, adding to the list of 34 contractors the Comelec initially forwarded to the House of Representatives.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia disclosed that the Comelec will issue today show-cause orders requiring the 43 contractors to explain within five days why they should not be held liable for giving prohibited donations to candidates and political parties.

Based on the Statements of Contributions and Expenditures submitted to the Comelec, the 43 contractors gave donations to seven national candidates and 15 political parties and party-list groups.

“It appears that one construction firm gave to two to three candidates, or that one candidate benefited from three construction companies,” Garcia said in Filipino in a radio interview yesterday.

The poll chief said that after the contractors, the Comelec will also issue show-cause orders to the candidates and political parties.

Aside from criminal liability, Garcia said candidates who received prohibited donations also face administrative sanction, if found that they were holding government positions – and not just running for an elective post – when they accepted the donations.

Garcia stressed that contractors in government projects are prohibited from contributing funds to candidates. Both donor and recipient may face one to six years of imprisonment.