President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte received millions in campaign contributions from government contractors during the 2022 national elections, according to the report of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ).
According to PCIJ’s review of Statements of Contributions and Expenses (SOCE) filed with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Marcos received a combined ₱21 million in donations from Zamboanga del Sur-based Rudhil Construction & Enterprises Inc., owned by Rodulfo Hilot Jr., and Cebu-based Quirante Construction Corporation, owned by Jonathan Quirante.
Meanwhile, Esdevco Realty Corporation, owned by Davao businessman Glenn Escandor, paid ₱19.9 million worth of political advertisements for Duterte.
The transaction is prohibited under the Omnibus Election Code, which expressly bans candidates from accepting contributions from individuals or companies with government contracts, franchises, or similar privileges.
PCIJ reported that the contractors involved already had ongoing public works projects before or during the election period.
Further scrutiny of public records showed that Rudhil Construction’s contracts with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) grew significantly between 2016 and 2022, ranging from ₱600 million to ₱2.6 billion annually. Its largest project was a ₱243-million sewage treatment plant with the Philippine Ports Authority in 2024.
Quirante Construction also saw its government contracts soar from ₱315 million in 2016 to over ₱3 billion by 2023, with the majority involving flood control projects.
The firm was ranked as the 25th largest recipient of public works allocations according to the “Sumbong sa Pangulo” portal.
6 out of the 12 senators elected in 2022 received campaign donations from contractors
The PCIJ report also noted that six senators elected in 2022, Francis "Chiz" Escudero, Joel Villanueva, Sherwin Gatchalian, Loren Legarda, Robinhood "Robin" Padilla, and Miguel "Migz" Zubiri, likewise received donations from individuals with government contracts.
The former Senate President Escudero emerged as one of the biggest recipients, taking in ₱30 million from Lawrence Lubiano, president of Centerways Construction and Development Inc., and another ₱10 million from Arnel Isilen Peil, owner of A.I.P. Construction—both contractors of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). He also accepted ₱30 million from Maynard Ngu, chief executive officer of Cosmic Technologies Inc., a contractor of the Department of Education (DepEd).
Villanueva declared a ₱20 million donation from New San Jose Builders, a contractor of the National Housing Authority (NHA).
Gatchalian reported ₱9.5 million from Sergio Ortiz-Luis, board member of Waterfront Philippines Inc., a company with government dealings.
Furthermore, Legarda stood out with the single largest reported donation: ₱100 million from Leandro Leviste, founder and former CEO of Solar Philippines, a government franchise holder.
Padilla received a total of ₱9.75 million, including ₱1 million worth of mobile phones from Maynard Ngu and ₱8.75 million worth of GMA Network airtime from Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., former president of the Frabelle Group, which has subsidiaries engaged in government contracts.
Finally, Zubiri likewise declared a ₱20 million contribution from Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.
The findings come as part of PCIJ’s broader investigation into campaign financing and political influence in the Philippines.
As of this writing, Marcos and Duterte, and senators have yet to issue statements on the matter.
If proven, the acceptance of prohibited donations could have far-reaching implications for both officials, potentially undermining the legitimacy of their mandates and casting a shadow over their political futures.
