Camille Naredo

Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia at a press briefing ahead of the proclamation of winning partylist groups at the Manila Hotel on May 19, 2025.  Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia at a press briefing ahead of the proclamation of winning partylist groups at the Manila Hotel on May 19, 2025.  Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

HALALAN -PARTYLIST

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175671912625220250519-comelec-george-garcia-JC4251.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia at a press briefing ahead of the proclamation of winning partylist groups at the Manila Hotel on May 19, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File"/>Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia at a press briefing ahead of the proclamation of winning partylist groups at the Manila Hotel on May 19, 2025.  Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</div>MANILA — Thirty-one contractors donated to the campaigns of national candidates in the 2022 polls, according to Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson George Garcia.But the commission is still verifying with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) if these are government contractors and if they had existing contracts at the time of filing their candidacy or after the elections.This is to check if Section 95 of the Omnibus Election Code was violated and if the election win was used to lead to granting of contracts. <div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/29/comelec-probing-campaign-donations-from-contractors-who-supported-candidates-in-past-polls-1826">READ: Comelec probing campaign donations from contractors who supported candidates in past polls</a></div>“Iniwan po muna ang 2025 sapagkat may prescriptive period po kasi ang election offense ng limang taon. At least po ‘yung 2022, mapre-prescribe siya sa 2027. ‘Yung ‘25, sa 2030 pa po ‘yan. As of last Saturday po, 31 na possible contractors po ‘yung aming nakita sa mga kumandidato sa lahat ng national positions so far. Ongoing pa po ‘yung review namin,” Garcia told lawmakers during a hearing on the 2026 budget of the Comelec on Monday, September 1.There would be no reference to which candidates are involved in the list as they are still verifying information.“We’re going to submit the list of 31 possible contractors that might have violated the provision of Section 95 without reference po muna sa kung sino ‘yung kandidato kung papaumanhin niyo. ‘Yun po ay ibibigay namin ‘yun kapag na-confirm namin na talagang contractor ng gobyerno ‘yung mga naturang contractors,” Garcia said.Garcia also later said 31 candidates are involved.Marikina 2nd District Rep. Miro Quimbo also requested for the list to be released before they meet for plenary session to help clear the names of lawmakers getting dragged into the issue of contractors in flood control projects.“Ang request ko nalang is bago tayo mag-plenaryo ay mailabas ‘yung listahan para sa kapakanan ng nakakarami because I think it’s also not fair to many of our colleagues both in the Senate as well as in the House na wala namang dealings sa mga inidividuals or companies na ito na nada-drag. So kung mayroon man, wala namang mali diyan, pero kung may kamalian dahil pinagbabawal ng batas para makapagpaliwanag pati ‘yung pulitikong tumanggap kasi bawal pero tumanggap so kailangan ‘yan malabas ‘yang listahan na ‘yan,” Quimbo said.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/27/comelec-to-write-dpwh-on-contractors-who-donated-to-candidates-in-2022-elections-1754">READ: Comelec to write DPWH on contractors who donated to candidates in 2022 elections</a></div>Garcia agreed to this, adding that there could be more contractors as the 31 were recorded last Saturday, August 29.They are also only able to provide data on national candidates at this time due to the large volume of statements of contributions and expenditures (SOCE) they have to look into, Garcia said.“‘Yun pong inuna muna ng departamento ay national candidates sapagkat talaga pong, Madam Chair, napakahirap ‘yung buong 44,000. Remember po ‘pag nagsu-submit ng SOCE, hindi lang po ilang pahina ‘yun. Kasama po ‘yung attachment. So doon po sa first three pages, hindi niyo po makikita doon kung sino ‘yung nag-donate. Nakalagay lang doon kung magkano ang tinanggap na donation. You have to look into the submitted volume of documents to find out kasi ina-attach po, Madam Chair, ‘yung mismong acceptance ng donation at ‘yung mismong form ng donation na fini-fill upan ng mismong donor,” Garcia said.When asked about including 2025 election candidates, Garcia said it would take “several months” to review SOCEs, especially as they only have 38 people for this, all of which are casual employees.

Thirty-one contractors donated to the campaigns of national candidates in the 2022 polls, according to Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson George Garcia.

Thirty-one contractors donated to the campaigns of national candidates in the 2022 polls, according to Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson George Garcia.

Comelec looking into 31 contractors who donated to 2022 nat'l candidates' campaigns

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Comelec looking into 31 contractors who donated to 2022 nat'l candidates' campaigns

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 01, 2025 05:33 PM PHT

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