Manila: Fifteen contractors are now being investigated over the possibility of being prohibited campaign donors during the May 2022 presidential polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Friday. Comelec Chairperson George Garcia stated that they expect the number to increase as their Political Finance and Affairs Department continues to scrutinize the Statement of Contributions and Expenditures of candidates.

According to Philippines News Agency, Comelec's ongoing evaluation has so far identified 15 contractors who allegedly provided support, assistance, and donations to candidates in the 2022 elections. This was revealed by Chairperson Garcia during an interview at the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections stakeholders briefing. Garcia noted that investigations are focusing on all positions involved in the 2022 elections, suggesting that more contractors may be identified beyond the initial 15.

The investigation aims to determine if these contractors violated legal prohibitions by contributing to campaigns while holding government contracts. Chairperson Garcia highlighted that the crucial factor is whether these contractors had active government contracts at the time of the candidacy filings or afterward. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is expected to provide further information on the matter.

Last week, Comelec had already disclosed that four contractors were found to have made contributions to national candidates' campaigns in 2022. The Omnibus Election Code explicitly forbids contributions from individuals or entities with government contracts, whether directly or indirectly, for partisan political activities.