Amid Escudero being Linked to Flood Control Project Contractor, Comelec Speaks on Election Rules
COMELEC – The Commission on Elections said that government contractors are not allowed to donate funds to candidates amid the issue against Senate President Chiz Escudero.
Recently, President Bongbong Marcos revealed that the government has already spent P545-billion for the flood control projects in the country from July 2022 to May 2025. He called it an enormous amount. To recall, during his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos Jr. expressed his frustration over the failed flood control projects in the country.
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano even chided that it was the first time that he heard a president blaming a flood control project in his SONA speech for the flooding in the country. According to him, presidents used to boast about the flooding of the projects that the government accomplished under them.
Marcos Jr. claimed that he personally checked the flood control projects. Several areas in the country were recently left in deep floodwater following the wrath of the Southwest Monsoon and tropical storms Crising, Dante, and Emong.
Aside from revealing the spending of the government for the flood control projects, Pres. Bongbong Marcos also claimed that 20% of the P545-billion worth flood control projects in the country were awarded to the same 15 contractors.
Marcos Jr. also claimed that five (5) contractors allegedly have flood control projects in almost all regions in the country. Here are the 15 contractors cited by the President:
- Legacy Construction Corporation
- Alpha & Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corp.
- St. Timothy Construction Corporation
- QM Builders
- EGB Construction Corporation
- Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc.
- Centerways Construction and Development Inc.
- Sunwest, Inc.
- Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp.
- Triple 8 Construction & Supply, Inc.
- Royal Crown Monarch Construction & Supplies Corp.
- Wawao Builders
- MG Samidan Construction
- L.R. Tiqui Builders, Inc.
- Road Edge Trading & Development Services
Following the press con of the President, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero admitted that he received a P30-million campaign donation from one of the flood control project contractors cited by Marcos Jr. According to him, the owner of Centerways Construction and Development Inc. is a long-time friend of him and is from Sorsogon, too.
Escudero earned a lot of criticisms over the matter. For the Senate President, it is allegedly part of the “demolition job” against him in the pursuit to oust him. Recently, the Commission on Elections or Comelec spoke about campaign contributors.
Based on a report on GMA News, Comelec chairman George Garcia said that donations from government contractors to candidates are not allowed. He cited the Section 95 (c) under the Omnibus Election Code.
“SECTION 95. Prohibited contributions. – No contribution for purposes of partisan political activity shall be made directly or indirectly by any of the following:”
“(c) 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.”
Comelec chairman George Garcia clarified that government contractors, any political subdivision, or anyone involved in a government deal is prohibited to contribute to a candidate. Based on the report, he stressed that it is an election offense that is punishable with one up to six (6) years of imprisonment. It may also lead to the cancellation of the license or permit of the donor firm.
Previously, in a press con, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero linked the flood control project contractor issue against him to the impeachment case against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte.