The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will hold a hearing on November 21 to investigate government contractors who allegedly donated to political candidates during the 2022 national and local elections.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia said that 27 government contractors, identified through a list provided by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), were issued show-cause orders to explain their alleged campaign contributions—whether in cash or in-kind.
He said the Comelec will also look into the candidates who allegedly received donations from these contractors. Based on preliminary findings, the list includes six senatorial candidates, five party-list nominees, four district congressional candidates, and three gubernatorial bets.
“These contractors will have to answer two questions: first, if they are indeed government or public works contractors, and second, if they made donations to any candidate,” Garcia said.
“We will compare their answers to the candidates’ Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) to verify if the amounts match.”
Under Article 11, Section 95 of the Omnibus Election Code, it is unlawful for individuals or companies holding government contracts to make political donations.
“For those who supposedly benefited, we will ask what their explanation is. If evidence shows a violation, we will proceed with preliminary investigation to determine probable cause,” the Comelec chief said.
“Once probable cause is established, cases may be filed in court so that these violations cannot simply be dismissed,” he added.
The poll body is also coordinating with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to trace the financial sources of the reported donations.
“The BIR is checking whether the reported donations match the donors’ declared income. We need to know if these donations were legally sourced,” Garcia said.
