The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has recommended terminating a probe into the P30 million donation Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero received from contractor Lawrence Lubiano for his 2022 election campaign.
In a ruling, the Comelec Political Finance and Affairs Department (PFAD) said that Lubiano did not represent his contracting firm, Centerways Construction and Development Inc., when he donated the large sum of money to Escudero’s senatorial campaign. “This office concurs that Mr. Lubiano is not Centerways, and Centerways is not Mr. Lubiano,” the decision read.
The PFAD said, “There is no evidence establishing that the funds used in the contribution [to Escudero] originated from Centerways.” It also said that there was no evidence to suggest that the Omnibus Election Code, which prohibits contractors from making political donations, was violated.
Centerways, of which Lubiano serves as president, is among the 15 construction companies that the government initially flagged for bagging P100 billion-worth — and 20 percent — of the country’s flood control projects from 2022 to 2025. Additionally, Rappler reports that Centerways secured P5.16 billion in flood control contracts between 2021 and 2024.
In September, Escudero stepped down from his position as Senate president amid concerns that his connection to Lubiano jeopardized the upper chamber’s probe into flood control anomalies. Escudero has denied playing a role in Lubiano’s deals with the government, but also admitted that the businessman is a friend.
Later that month, former Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo alleged that he personally delivered project kickbacks worth P160 million to Escudero through his supposed bagman, businessman Maynard Ngu. The legislator was placed on a list of individuals who would undergo case build-up at the National Prosecution Service for their alleged involvement in flood control corruption schemes.
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