Comelec probes contractors' election donations

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has launched an investigation into four public works contractors for allegedly contributing to the election campaigns of some senators during the 2022 elections, violating the election code.

Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia announced that the poll body directed its Political Finance and Affairs Department to investigate Statements of Contributions and Expenditures from 16,000 candidates submitted in 2025, both national and local.

Garcia stated that Section 95(c) of the Omnibus Election Code prohibits contractors with government contracts from making campaign donations, which could result in penalties including imprisonment for one to two years.

The Comelec is now focusing its probe on private contractors who may have contributed to political campaigns during the May 2022 polls and will coordinate with the Department of Public Works and Highways to verify these claims.

Comelec's Political Finance and Affairs Department is examining three to four candidates who reportedly received donations from such contractors, though it has yet to determine if any lawmakers benefited from these contributions.

The investigation remains in its early stages as Comelec verifies whether the firms involved have government contracts before proceeding further.