The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) expressed its readiness to provide the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) with detailed information on campaign donations made by private contractors to both national and local candidates in the last two elections.
COMELEC Chairman Atty. George Erwin Garcia said the poll body is open to cooperating fully with the ICI should the latter seek access to their records, emphasizing that transparency and accountability are crucial in uncovering potential links between government contracts and campaign financing.
“We will immediately comply because the request comes from government agencies, whose mandate is really about prosecuting corrupt practices,” Garcia stated during an interview at the COMELEC main office in Intramuros, Manila on Wednesday.
He also noted that the Office of the Ombudsman has already begun coordination with the commission regarding the issue.
Garcia further revealed that four senators elected during the May 2025 national polls were among those identified to have possibly received campaign funds from private contractors, based on their Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCEs).
“Of the six senatorial candidates, four won while two lost,” he said.
Aside from the senators, Garcia mentioned that other recipients of contractor donations include two party-list groups, three congressional candidates, one national political party, and two gubernatorial bets.
However, he declined to name any of them for now, explaining that the COMELEC is still verifying the data with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to determine whether these contractors had existing transactions with the government.
“We can’t disclose yet who they are because we are still looking at all the SOCEs and we will need the confirmation from the DPWH,” Garcia clarified.
Based on COMELEC’s preliminary assessment, a total of 14 candidates and political groups were identified as recipients of donations from 26 contractors during the 2025 elections.